Strangers
by x-X-x.Tsukiyomi-x-Amu.x-X-x
Summary: pain, drama, tears, and love that defies all odds. in other words, your typical amuto story. :P
1. Chapter 1

"_Hey Amu?"_

"_Yeah?"_

_I stared into his eyes as he leaned forward, his usual smirk in place, and brought his face so that it was inches from mine. I could feel his warm breath dance across my face, as I blushed a million shades of red._

"_I'll definitely make you fall in love with me. So prepare yourself."_

_My eyes widened in surprise, and he closed the gap between us, and he kissed me. It wasn't on the lips...but it was so close. I couldn't do anything. I just stood there gaping like an idiot as he straightened up and walk to the security gate._

_I snapped out of my daze and my face flushed with anger._

"_TSUKYOMI IKUTO!!!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN YOU GET BACK!!!!"_

_He just turned to me and smirked, before giving a small wave and disappearing in the crowd._

_I stared at my feet, watching my tears fall to the floor._

"_you'd better come back soon!" my voice was a mere whisper as I choked out those last few words, before turning on my heel and heading out._

.x-X-x.

I was so caught up in my thoughts, my memories; I didn't notice anything around me. I didn't notice the road approaching me. I didn't notice the lights go red, signalling for us to wait. I didn't notice the screams and yells of my friends as they watched in horror. And most importantly, I didn't notice the huge truck speeding towards me, with no chance of stopping before it hit me.

All I knew was that I was snapped out of my thoughts as my world turned upside-down, and I was tackled to the ground. I could feel a warm body pressed against me as we tumbled across the road. I vaguely remember hearing shouting, screaming and a hell of a lot of crying. But the only thought running through my mind....Ikuto.

The world stopped spinning and we came to a halt. I could feel the pounding of hundreds of feet racing towards us. Do I care? No. I just lay there, wrapped in the arms of my saviour. I felt so safe, so warm, like nothing and no one could hurt me. I buried my face in his chest as his arms tightened around me. He seemed so familiar.

I felt arms try to prise me away from him, but his grip on me just tightened. He clambered to his feet with me still in his arms, head still buried in his chest, as my hands gripped at his shirt, pulling me to my feet. I heard an audible gasp and a huge amount of stuttering, but I payed no attention. There were pressing in on us from all sides. None of them mattered to me. They were nothing. Background noise. An annoyance.

I felt my feet leave the ground as he swept me into his arms, but still my face never left his chest. He pushed through the crowds, ignoring the mass of people crowding around, trying to get a better look. He just kept on walking. I don't know how long he walked for. It could have been an eternity. I wouldn't have cared. All I knew was that I was safe, comfortable. I felt the December wind brush against my body, making me shiver. His warm arms pressed me closer to him, as I breathed in his warmth.

Then, he jumped. I don't know why or how far, all I know is he jumped. His hand reached out to open a door and he stepped inside. A rush of warmth hit me as I realised how cold I had actually been. He walked forward and sat down. I heard springs creak...we must be on a bed. I was sat in a room I didn't know, on the lap of a stranger that just so happens to have saved my life, and what's more, we were on a bed. Did I care? No.

We sat, for what seemed like hours, in total silence. But, it wasn't an awkward silence. It was...nice. Then, slowly, I felt my eyelids droop as the darkness closed in. Before I knew what was happening, I was asleep.

.x-X-x.

I woke up in a room I don't ever remember being in before. I was laying on a bed, wrapped in a warm blanket. As I looked around the room, I tried to figure out how I'd gotten here. Then it hit me. The truck, the fall, the mysterious hero. I tried to sit up but when I did my vision blurred and I started to get dizzy. I layed back down, not wanting to aggravate my head, which I now realised, was throbbing quite painfully. I soon realised the pain wasn't just in my head though. My whole body was aching from the force I had hit the concrete.

My thoughts wondered back to the man..._I wonder if he's alright. He must be hurting pretty bad after that fall, just like me. I wonder where he is now. _He'd saved me. It was only just dawning in me properly. I'd have been dead if it wasn't for him. He risked his life to save some random girl that was too stupid to pay attention to where she was walking.

The door creaked open, snapping me out of my thoughts. My eyes widened as I stared at the figure framed in the doorway. I shot out of bed, only to fall to the floor in pain.

"Amu!" he ran towards me. "Are you a complete idiot? The truck may have missed you, but the road sure as hell didn't." I just stared up at him, mouth wide open, gaping like an idiot.

"Are you gonna say something? Or are you gonna sit there and gawk at me all day?"

I opened my mouth to speak, only to close it a few seconds later, before opening and closing it again. I was in total shock. I had no idea what to do or say. So I just sat there opening and closing my mouth. He smirked.

"You know, you look like a fish when you do that."

My mouth opened once more, and I managed to force out just one word.

"I-Ikuto?"

"Yo."

He helped me back onto the bed as I continued to stare at him in total disbelief.

"It's not very polite to stare," he smirked, "though I can't say I'm surprised. I mean look at me. I'm so damn sexy." I just continued to stare at him.

_How is this possible? I swear I must be dreaming. There's no way on earth this is real. I mean how could it be? Ikuto left 5 years ago. I mean he promised me he'd come back, but it's been 5 god damn years! I figured he'd just forgotten me, found some other girl to love. There's no way he could be sitting next to me right now, after saving my life. It just wasn't possible..._

**Ikuto's P.O.V.**

_Okay, so I expected her to be a little shocked, I mean it has been 5 years, after all. But this was just ridiculous. She hasn't said a word. She's just been sat there gawking at me for the past 10 minutes. *sigh*. I guess she must be angry. To be honest, I'm not really surprised. 5 years is a long time. I never intended to take that long though. I was just planning on finding my dad and then come straight back. I was only meant to be gone a year or so, two years at most. But 5 years?! No way was I planning to be gone for that long. I probably would have been back sooner, if it wasn't for....complications._

_It killed me, being away from Amu so long. She was all I thought about. I just wanted to see her, to hold her. I would've given anything to see her beautiful smile, the smile that has the power to brighten up my day in an instant, and to hear he angelic voice. I missed teasing her; watching her cheeks turn crimson as she stuttered insults at me. So kawaii!_

_Wait! Did I just say she was kawaii?? No way. Tsukyomi Ikuto never calls anyone 'cute'. Well, you just did...*sigh*. You see? This is what she does to me. When I'm around her, I loose all self control. I end up saying and doing things that would usually never even cross my mind._

_Hmmm...She still hasn't moved. Okay, this is getting a bit worrying. She hasn't moved or made a noise or done anything for the past half an hour._

"Amu? Hey, Amu!" I shook her gently. _*sigh* this is going to be harder than I thought..._

_Well there is one way I could wake her up. Though she'd probably kill me for it later... ah well. I'll do it anyway..._

**Amu's P.O.V.**

I was wrapped up in my thoughts. My eyes were completely glazed over, and I didn't notice anything going on around me. I was in complete shock. Then.....

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IKUTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!?!?!"

"Oh, so you are alive."

"Of course I'm alive you baka!"

"Well you could have fooled me!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He let out a long sigh, which just made me even more annoyed.

"Amu, you do realise that you've been sat staring at me like a gormless idiot for the past half an hour don't you?" He said with a smirk. Anger bubbled up inside of me, as all of the feelings from the past 5 years threatened to spill out. I turned away. I couldn't bear to look at him. I knew that if I did, I wouldn't be able to hold back the tears. I got up to leave, ignoring the pain shooting through my body.

"I have to go. Thanks for saving me, but I really need to get home." It was getting harder and harder to stop the tears from flowing.

"Amu, what are you talking about? There's no way you're going anywhere in that state!" he was going to make this so much harder than it already was.

"Ikuto I'm fine. I just need to go home."

"fine." Huh? That was a hell of a lot easier than I thought it would be. "But I'm taking you back. There's no way I'm gonna let you walk home alone after what happened earlier." God dammit! I spoke to soon.

"Ikuto I don't need your help! I'm fine on my own."

"Well, you're obviously not, considering you walked straight in front of a truck, and almost killed yourself. You obviously can't take care of yourself." His voice was starting to rise. Oh, now he's done it.

"WELL WHAT THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW?!?!" tears sprung to my eyes as all the thoughts and emotions that had been bottled up finally broke free.

"YOU DISSAPEAR FOR 5 YEARS, 5 YEARS, THEN COME BACK AND EXPECT ME TO BE OKAY. WELL GUESS WHAT! IM NOT! I CRIED FOR MONTHS AFTER YOU LEFT! I STOPPED EATING, I BARELY EVER LEFT MY ROOM, AND I SPENT EVERYDAY IN BED. I PUSHED AWAY ALL OF MY FRIENDS, AND LEFT MYSELF COMPLETELY ALONE. THEN, I FINALLY MANGE TO PULL MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER, AND YOU COME AND DESTROY ALL MY HARD WORK!" tears were streaming down my face now, but I made no attempt to wipe them away. I'd been waiting too long for this.

"WELL IT'S TOO LATE! I DONT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU! YOU DESTROYED ME; YOU BROKE MY HEART AND LEFT ME TO PICK UP THE PIECES. I DONT WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!" I opened the door and ran out of the house. I heard someone shout my name, but I didn't look back. I just ran out the door and headed home.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't stop running until I reached the sanctuary of my house. I bolted in and leant against the door.

"Ah, Amu, you're home. I was starting to get wo-Amu! What's wrong? What happened?" I just looked at her worried face before darting upstairs and into my bedroom. Once there, I collapsed on the floor and cried as the realisation of what had happened finally sunk in.

There was a sharp knock at the window and my head shot up. There, on my balcony, stood the person I wanted to see least. I darted over to the sliding door and locked it, before pulling the curtains across it, blocking him from view. There was a loud banging from behind the curtains.

"Amu! Let me in I need to talk to you!" I ignored him, tears still falling from my eyes as I curled up in bed. After a few minutes, the noise stopped. I sat up and looked at the closed curtains. Slowly, I got up and crossed the room, before pulling them back. He was gone.

I found myself staring out into the empty night. Lost in my thoughts.

.x-X-x.

My eyes opened slowly; as I glanced at the clock...12.30pm...guess I missed school today... not that I care. I'd rather just lie here all day. I stared up at the ceiling, lost in my thoughts. I could hear my charas in the corner, whispering to each other. I knew they were worried about me, but the state I was in last night, they knew better than to try to comfort me. _Last night... I completely lost control. The last time I broke down like that was when Ikuto left...but he's back now. Shouldn't I be happy? So then why do I feel so depressed? Ugh! This is sooo confusing! I love him don't I? So then why am I acting like this?_

"A-Amu-chan?" I turned my head to see my charas' worried faces. I let out a long sigh.

"I'm guessing you heard what happened yesterday, huh?" they all nodded.

"Amu-chan...Are you going to be alright ~desu~?" I gave them a weak smile.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"But what are you going to do about Ikuto?" Dia asked. I turned my attention back to the ceiling. After a few minutes I opened my mouth to answer...

"I honestly don't know...*sigh*...he probably hates me now anyway..." I felt the tears form in my eyes.

"Amu-chan! You know that's not true!" scolded Mikki. "Ikuto could never hate you!" I wasn't so sure.

I sighed again and rolled on to my side, with my back facing them. I didn't want them to see the tears flowing down my cheeks; I knew it would just make them worry even more. I closed my eyes, trying to forget my worries, and slowly drifted back to sleep.

**Ikuto's P.O.V.**

I stared at the broken girl through the slightly open window. I watched the tears stream down her face as she lulled herself into a deep sleep. I longed to reach out and hold her; to take away all the hurt in her heart. But how could I? I was the one that caused it. And so I sat there, helplessly, and watched her cry. It broke my heart to see her like this. She had always been so strong.

I always thought she had been happy when I left. I was no longer around to annoy her. She could finally relax and spend time with the _kiddie king_. But no, she hadn't been happy. In fact, from what she said, she was as far from happy as possible. I had destroyed her life. And now, well, she probably hates me now. And to be honest, I don't blame her. I hate myself for ever letting her go, for hurting her.

"Ikuto ~nya!"

"...."

"Ikuto, you should go talk to her ~nya!"

"...."

"Ikuto ~nya?"

"No."

"But why ~nya?"

"Because...I'd probably just hurt her again..."

"But Ikuto ~nya! You saw her ~nya. She cried because she thinks you hate her ~nya. You should talk to her and tell her why it took you so long to come back ~nya!"

I thought about what Yoru had said. He had a point. If she hated me why was she crying? And anyway, I don't remember hearing her say the word 'hate'. Sure, she had said she never wanted to see me again...but she never said she hated me....

I jumped onto her balcony, and slowly slid open the door, Yoru following close behind me. Her charas' heads snapped up at the sound of the door closing, and their eyes widened at the sight of me.

I walked towards the bed and stared down at pinkette. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and I could still see the tear tracks glistening on her face. She looked so peaceful, a complete contrast to how she'd been just minutes before. I reached out a hand and stroked her smooth, soft cheek.

I felt a small tug at my top, and looked down. She had unconsciously grabbed onto my shirt. I took her hand in mine, and silently slid into bed with her. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer. She rolled over in her sleep, and buried her face in my chest. I rested my head on hers, taking in her strawberry scent, before slowly drifting off to sleep.

**Miki's P.O.V**

Amu rolled over so that her back was facing us. I looked at dia. She was looking at me with an expression that told me she understood, even if the other two were completely clueless. We knew she had turned away to hide her tears. She didn't want to worry us. We still didn't know exactly what had happened last night. We had spent the day at home. She had come home late and collapsed on the floor crying. We didn't have any idea why. All we knew was that it was to do with Ikuto.

My head snapped up as I hear the door hit the frame. I saw the others do the same. My eyes widened in shock when I saw who it was. There, framed in the doorway, was Ikuto! I watched as he crept across the room. He looked so different from usual. His signature smirk had disappeared, and his face was filled with concern. His eyes looked so gentle and caring. I could barely believe that this was the same Ikuto that had teased Amu all those years ago... I had never once seen him look at her like that; so....lovingly....

I felt a warm breath on my neck as a pair of arms snaked themselves around my waist. I gasped in surprise and turned to see Yoru grinning at me. I blushed a million shades of red before burying my face in his neck. I'd missed him so much while he was away. I never wanted to let him go. I took in his scent as tears of joy rolled down my cheek. I was so happy to have him back; I just hope Amu can forgive Ikuto before it's too late...


	3. Chapter 3

**Amu's POV**

I felt something warm wrapped around me, I felt so safe. I opened my eyes, only to be met with a mass of black. I pulled away slightly and looked up at the figure hugging me. My eyes widened in shock. It was Ikuto. My gaze softened as I watched his sleeping form. He looked so peaceful. I felt a small smile creep onto my face, and buried my face in my chest.

"Only perverts watch people sleep, Amu." His eyes fluttered open as he smirked down at me.

"I-Ikuto! You were awake?!" I felt my face heat up as I blushed a deep shade of red.

"Yup." He replied, popping the p.

I stared at him for a few minutes, before coming to my senses.

"I-I...uh...I s-should get u-up..." I pulled myself off the bed, only to be dragged back down again.

"And where do you think you're going?" he pulled me into him and nuzzled my neck. I could feel my brain go fuzzy, as I took in his intoxicating smell, making it impossible to think straight. My mind went blank.

"Ummmm.....I-I....d-d-don't know..." He smirked.

"Well then, since you have nowhere to go you can stay here with me." I couldn't speak, so I just nodded. His smirk grew wider.

As I lay there in his warm embrace, I thought back over all the times we spent together, all the night time visits, the battle against Easter, and about when he left....

I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. I buried my face in his neck in the hopes that he wouldn't notice. No such luck.

"Amu? What's wrong?" I could hear the concern in his voice.

"I-it's nothing. *sniff*. I'm fine."

"If you were fine you wouldn't be crying, Amu."

"..."

"Amu."

"I-I-I was th-thinking about when you l-left...." I felt his breath hitch as I spoke. His arms tightened around me and he buried his face in my hair.

"Gomennasai," He whispered. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed myself closer to him.

"Ne, Ikuto?"

"Mhmm"

"Promise me something..."

"Anything."

"Promise you'll never leave me again; that you'll stay with me forever."

"I promise."

I smiled and hugged him closer.

"So, you never told me..." I looked up at him. "Did I win the bet?" my face turned tomato red and I buried my face in his chest once again.

"Well?" I could almost see his annoying smirk. I nodded my head slowly.

"No, Amu. I want you to say it." oh, he was loving this.

"I- I l-l-love y-you!"

"That's all I needed to hear." And with that he reached down and lifted my chin so that I was facing him. His sapphire eyes seemed to swallow me as I stared into them. My breath hitched and his lips crashed onto mine. Oh sweet bliss. His lips moved rhythmically against mine, as his hand slid to the small of my back, pressing me closer to him. I slid my arms up around his neck and tangled my hands in his silky blue locks. I was in heaven.

A door slammed open.

"Amu-cha-what the hell?!?!" we broke apart, to see my dad framed in the doorway, a look in his eyes telling me he was ready to kill. He stormed over and dragged Ikuto off of me, throwing him out the door. I got up quickly and followed as he marched Ikuto downstairs, and into the kitchen. I gritted my teeth. _This is going to be fun..._

**Ikuto's POV**

Her dad dragged me into the kitchen with Amu following close behind. I smirked. _This is going to be fun..._

When we got to the kitchen, Midori was stood making breakfast. She looked up when she heard us enter, and her eyes widened.

"Ikuto-kun! It's been years since I last saw you! How have you been?" I watched as Amu's and her father's jaws dropped in unison.

"I've been fine thanks. And it's nice to see you again."

"So what brings you here so early? I'm guessing it has something to do with Amu-chan?" I just smirked even wider. This last question seemed to snap Amu's dad out of his daze.

"Midori! I found this...this...beast...on our daughter's bed, kissing her!"

At this Midori let out a huge fan girl squeal.

"Oh this is wonderful! Amu-chan and Ikuto-kun are finally dating!"

"W-what?! N-no! Mama it's not like that! Honestly!"

"Noooooo! My little sparrow! You can't! You don't need a boy to be happy! You've got your papa!" and with this he 'ran away'. In other words, he locked himself in the bathroom. _Wow. I feel so sorry for Amu..._

"So Ikuto-kun, when's the wedding?" _God I love her mom._

"What?! Mama! There is no wedding!"

"Whatever you say dear..." Amu let out an exasperated scream and stormed back upstairs. Midori winked at me.

"We'll talk about it later." I smirked and headed back to Amu's bedroom, only to find her lying on the bed with her face buried in her pillow. I opened my mouth, planning to tease her.

"Not. A. Word." I just chuckled quietly and went to sit on the bed.

**Amu's POV**

That had to be one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. It was even worse than the time I confessed my love for Tadase-kun in front of the whole school. Why do my parents have to be so embarrassing? I groaned into the pillow, and heard Ikuto laugh beside me.

"You know, it wasn't that bad." I lifted my head from the pillow and shot him a death glare.

"What? I quite enjoyed it." I just continued to glare at him. _Oh, he's loving this._

"So, when _is _the wedding Amu-_koi_?!" _that does it. _I grabbed the pillow and threw it straight at his face. He just smirked at me, an evil glint in his eyes. _Oh crap._

"That wasn't very nice, Amu-_koi._" He said, with a fake pout plastered across his face.

"Well you deserved it." I said poking my tongue out at him.

"You shouldn't poke your tongue out like that Amu-koi, it's extremely tempting." My tongue shot back into my mouth.

"PERVERT!!!!" I screeched. He just chuckled and walked out onto the balcony.

"See you later Amu-_koi_." I just aimed another pillow at him, which he dodged before jumping down to the pavement below.

I watched as he disappeared around the corner and sighed, a faint smile forming on my lips.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys, this chapter is shorter than the others, and you'll probably hate me after reading it. i'll try to update again asap, though it may take a while as i have loads of work to do for college. anyhoo...ENJOY! (or not :) )_**

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**Amu's POV**

It's been 4 months since Ikuto came back, and we are now, officially, dating. Of course, papa wasn't at all happy, and threw god knows how many tantrums...all resulting in him 'running away'. Mama was over the moon, and kept going on about "wedding plans".*sigh*.then there's Ami. She absolutely loves her nii-san. She's always sucking up to him, trying to get her hands on "the gweat kitty chara". Of course Ikuto gives in, just to torture him. Poor Yoru.

The guardians seemed to accept the fact that we were dating pretty quick. They knew how much I loved him, and were all happy for me; With the exception of Tadase. He was determined to break us up, and make me fall for him. He ended up turning into a creepy stalker; which soon led to his exile from the group.

Right now, I'm out shopping with Ami. We're supposed to be meeting Ikuto in ten minutes, and then we're all heading home for a special dinner that mama planned. _Probably to talk more about our supposed wedding...*sigh*..._I should be enjoying myself right now, and I would be, if I weren't so on edge. You see, there are two thugs in black suits following us, and they look about ready to strike.

Normally, it wouldn't bother me. I'm used to it, and I can take them easily. There's just one problem. Ami. If they attack, there's a chance she could get hurt, and they might use her against me. I could never forgive myself if I let Ami get hurt. _I need to get her out of the way..._

"Ne, Ami. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, nee-chan!"

"Good. I need you to do something for Me." she tilted her head questioningly. "I need you to go and hide, okay? And no matter what you see or hear, don't come out until I say so. Got it?"

She nodded her eyes full of fear and confusion.

"Good girl, now go."

And with that, she ran into the nearest store. I watched her go before veering into an alleyway to my right. The two thugs had me cornered in seconds. They smirked.

"Bad move." I said. They looked at me confused, and I took the opportunity to punch one of them in the gut. He doubled over in pain as I aimed a kick at his friend. I hit him behind the knee and watched as his legs gave way, and aimed a punch at his face. He reeled back in agony as I pulled back my arm, ready to strike again.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders, stopping my attack. The first guy had recovered and had a hold on me. I struggled to get out of his iron grip. The second man had disappeared somewhere, and I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I stopped struggling and rammed my elbow into the stomach of the guy holding me, hearing him gasp in pain, as he let go of me. I spun round and aimed a kick at his head, send him flying backwards.

I heard footsteps behind me. There was a load of shuffling, followed by a muffled scream. I span round only to come face to face with the thug that had run off. Now I knew why he disappeared so suddenly. There, in his arms, tears streaming down her face, was Ami. He had one hand covering her mouth, muffling her terrified sobs, the other holding a dagger, placed at her neck. He had an evil glint in his eyes as he stared at me wickedly.

"Make one more move and I'll slit her throat." I stood frozen in terror, as Ami began to whimper.

"N-nee-chan...p-p-please...." tears cascaded down her face as she stared at me helplessly. _Ami..._

"A-alright...I'll come with you. J-just...just let her go...don't hurt her." The guy holding Ami smirked and let her go. She lay on the floor cowering in fear.

"And let me say goodbye..." I walked over to the terrified girl and crouched down next to her.

"Ami..." she looked up at me, and then threw herself onto me. I wrapped my arms around her shaking body and held her close to me. "Ami...nee-chan...Nee-chan has to go away for a while...and I don't know when I'll be back...but I need you to be a brave girl. I need you to go and meet Ikuto-nii like we planned. Okay?"

She looked up at me, her eyes fearful. "b-but...where are you going, nee-chan?"

"That doesn't matter...but Ami, listen to me, I need you to tell Ikuto-nii everything that I'm telling you. It's really important that you do that. Can you do that for me?"

She nodded. "Good girl...now..." I slid my arms up behind my neck and unlatched the chain that held the humpty lock. I took the lock and pressed it into her hand. "I need you to do one last thing for me. Take this. Make sure to give it to Ikuto-nii, 'kay?" she nodded once more, tears flowing heavier than before.

"And don't be scared, I'll be alright. Just go meet Ikuto-nii. He'll take care of you. I gave her a final hug and watched as she ran down the street and disappeared into the crowd, finally letting the tears fall.

"I love you..." was all I managed to choke out before I was tied up, gagged and thrown into the back of a white van.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ikuto's POV**

_Where the hell are they?!? I've been stood here for the past half an hour. Ugh. Knowing her, she probably forgot that she was meant to be meeting me. She's probably off shopping somewhere. Women..._

All of a sudden, Ami's running towards me, tears streaming down her face. She ran into my arms and sobbed into my chest.

"Ami! What happened? Where's Amu?" fear rose up inside me as I held the wailing girl.

"s-some....b-b-bad men....t-too-took her. A-and, s-she t-told m-me to c-c-come and m-m-meet you, a-and g-g-give you t-this..." she held out her hand and handed me the object. _The humpty lock..._

_Shit! I need to find Amu! But I can't just leave Ami; Amu would kill me if I did. Dammit! I'd better take her home, then I can focus on finding Amu..._

I picked her up and started walking back to my car. _Hang on Amu..._

**Amu's POV**

I was sat slumped against the wall inside a van, tears streaming down my face as my charas did their best to comfort me.

"Ganbare, Amu-chan!" yelled Ran, waving her pompoms around wildly.

"It'll be alright ~desu"

I was barely listening to their ramblings, as I sat there, deep in thought. I had no idea where they were taking me. All I knew was who _they _were, and why they had taken me. _They _were the Hiroshima trade company, and they used to work alongside Easter. When Easter fell, however, they kept going, and continued searching for the embryo. I've been opposing them for years, and I guess they finally decided to get rid of me once and for all. _I could fight, but I know I don't stand a chance if I have to fight the whole company. I may as well go quietly. As long as Ami's safe, that's all that matters..._

I flew forwards as the van jolted to a halt. Light flooded into the dark space and I felt two pairs of arms pull me roughly out. I stared around me, only to find that I was on a runway. _What the fuck?!?! Where the hell are they planning on taking me? _I was shoved forwards and soon came to a small cargo plane. I felt my feet leave the floor as I was thrown, yes thrown, inside. The doors slammed shut and I heard the rumble of an engine starting up. _Shit._

**Several hours later**

I was roughly shaken awake by some random, unknown person. I looked up to see some guy dressed in a black suit. _What the hell?!_ Then the realisation of what happened hit me. He smirked evilly at me and dragged me to my feet. Apparently we had landed. The dragged me out of the plane, and I managed to get a brief view of my surroundings, before I was ushered through a big metal door. _This is just great! I'm stuck in some grotty old warehouse in some unknown country. Things can't get much worse..._

How wrong I was.

I was lead down endless corridors and staircases as we retreated further and further into the building. It was a total maze. I doubt I could have gotten back out, even if I tried.

Finally, we came to a stop outside another steel door. It was cold and uninviting and there was a huge bolt across it. It was obviously built to keep people inside. The door swung open and I was pushed in roughly, falling to the floor. The men that had 'escorted' me here dragged me over to the wall. I felt a sharp pain in my wrists as they chained me to the wall, before walking out and bolting the door, leaving me alone with my charas in my tiny cell.

A few minutes later, I heard footsteps approaching, followed by a low creak as the door opened. I stared in disbelief as the last person I expected to be here walked in.

"T-Tadase..."

"Hello Hinamori-san"

"Tadase...why?"

"Simple, Hinamori-san, you rejected me. You chose that filthy, thieving cat over me! Well, now you're going to pay, and I figured this was the easiest way to get to you. I will make you mine!"

"DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF?!?! YOU'RE PATHETIC! ALL OF THIS BECAUSE I REJECTED YOU?!?! WELL YOU KNOW WHAT?! I'M GLAD I DID! I WOULD **NEVER** WANT TO BE WITH ANYONE AS SELFISH AS YOU!"

He stared at me in shock for a few seconds before regaining his composure. He walked over to me and leaned down so that his face was inches from mine. He stared into my eyes and I stared back defiantly.

"You're going to wish you never said that." He whispered, his tone deadly. I did the first thing I could think of. I spat in his face.

He reeled back and stared at me; anger clear in his eyes. He brought his hand up and it came crashing down into my cheek. The pain hit me, and it took all of my self control to stop myself from crying out in pain. But I refused to give him the satisfaction. He seemed to notice this and it only angered him more.

Then a scary look came over his face as he smiled evilly at me. Well, if that's the way you want to play it, I have a surprise for you Hinamori-san." He turned to the door and motioned to the guard. "Bring them in"

**Ikuto's POV**

We arrived at the house after about 10 minutes. Ami was about to run in when I stopped her. Something wasn't right. It was extremely quiet, which was strange, as there was usually something going on in the Hinamori household. But the thing that had him worried most was the fact that the door was hanging on its hinges. I saw Ami look up at the house, her eyes widened as she stared at the doorway, terrified.

I picked her up and walked cautiously towards the house. The door creaked as I walked through. The sight inside wasn't a pretty one. All of the furniture had been upturned and smashed up and there were bits of paper and debris covering the floor. There had obviously been a struggle. The walls were what disturbed me most though. There were huge gouge marks running right across them, giving off a menacing feeling. I heard Ami whimper as she stared at the dishevelled house. I held her closer and walked back out. _There's no point in looking around. It's already obvious her parents are gone._

**Amu's POV**

I watched in horror as the two people I wanted to see least right now were dragged into the tiny room.

"Mamma! Papa! Tadase-kun, no! Let them go! They've got nothing to do with this! Please!"

He just smirked at me, an evil glint in his eyes. A cold shiver went down my spine. _What happened to him?_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey guys, i know this one is short, but i made it short for a reason. i've already got the next chapter written so i'll update in a day or so. thankies to all those that reviewed, and everyone who's been following the story. i luv u all._

_anyhoo, ON WITH THE STORY!_

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**Amu's POV**

"Tadase please! I'll do whatever you want! You can have me! Just don't hurt them! Please!" still he stood there with that menacing smirk plastered across his face.

"Well, well. It seems like you've finally realised that you were meant to be with me. I will accept your offer. However..." his smirk grew wider and I stared fearfully into his ruby eyes. "You need to be punished for your actions towards me. You will pay for every second you spent with that thieving cat, every second that should have been spent with me."

I could hear my parents' frightened whimpers as they listened to the exchange between me and Tadase.

"Now then, your punishment. Well, before we get onto that...I think I should show you what happens if you disobey me. This will also serve as payback for you spitting in my face a while ago."

I was terrified. _Oh no. What's he planning? Please tell me it has nothing to do with my parents._

He walked over to one of the guards and whispered something in his ear. I watched as a smirked snaked its way onto the man's face. He nodded once, still smirking, and walked over to my parents. Horror filled me when I saw him take out his gun and point it at papa.

"Tadase! No! Please!"

"I told you, you would regret spitting at me."

He beckoned to another guard, who also pulled out his gun and aimed it at mamma's head. My parents stared at me with terror evident in their eyes, tears streaming down their faces.

.x-X-x.

Two shots echoed around the tiny cell, and two bodies crashed to the floor with a loud thud, all life gone from their eyes, as they lay in a scarlet pool.

My breath hitched and my eyes widened in horror.

"MAMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!PAPA!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I collapsed onto my side crying as they were dragged from the room, leaving a gruesome trail of blood across the floor. _They're dead. My parents are dead, and Tadase made me sit and watch as they were killed._

_Tadase...I'm going to kill that sick bastard. I'm not gonna let them die in vain. I will get out of here...no matter how long it takes._


	7. 6 years later

**6 years later**

**Ikuto's POV**

I was wandering through the city, not really knowing where I was going. I was completely oblivious to my surroundings. I was wrapped up in my thoughts. Thoughts of _her. _It's been six years since she was taken from me. Six long years. I searched for her for over a year, always praying that I would find her safe and unharmed. Though, I soon realised my search was useless. They had taken her for a reason. That reason? To kill her. She opposed them and hindered their plans. So they wanted her dead.

When I realised this, I broke down. For the first time in my life, I let the tears fall. I just sat and cried for weeks. Cried for the loss of the one thing I cared about. The girl I love. Hinamori Amu.

I'd have killed myself there and then if it wasn't for Utau. She's been through enough shit in her life, and I know losing Amu hurt her too. It hurt everyone. But I couldn't bring myself to hurt her anymore. So I picked myself up and carried on with life. But I wasn't the same. I was dead inside. An empty shell. I was numb. I barely ever spoke, my smiles were always fake, strained, and I never laughed. All happiness had been drained from my life.

So here I am, wandering through the city, like usual. Going wherever my feet carry me. Completely oblivious to everything around me.

But all that changed when I felt a body slam into mine, as I was tackled to the ground. I felt all the air escape my lungs as I smashed into the hard concrete. _What the hell just happened?_

"Are you a complete moron?!" I heard someone screech.

I spun around, coming face to face with an extremely pissed woman. _She must have been the one who tackled me._ She looked like she was in her early twenties. She had shoulder-length brown hair and electric blue eyes. She was petite and extremely beautiful; though she was little more than skin and bones. She was dressed in a pair of faded and torn jeans, and a baggy blue t-shirt that was filled with holes. She had no coat or jacket to keep her warm, which surprised me a bit seeing as it's the middle of January. Her eyes were heavily lidded and had black bags hanging under them. She looked as though she hadn't slept in weeks, and I was amazed she had the energy to stand, let alone tackle me to the ground.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed, or something? Did you not see the massive van speeding towards you? Or are you just a complete idiot?!"

_I've only just met her and she's shouting insults at me? Who the hell does she think she is?_

"Why did you save me?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you push me out of the way?"

"What do you mean 'why'? Isn't it obvious? You'd have been killed if I hadn't!"

"So? It's not like I've got anything to live for. It'd probably be better if I was dea-"

My head snapped to the side as a searing pain spread across my cheek. She slapped me.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"Don't you ever say that again!" I could hear her voice tremble as she spoke.

"What?"

You've got plenty to live for. And plenty of people who love you; your friends, your sister...and...me...." her voice cracked on the last to words and I watched as tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

It took me a minute to register what she had said. But then her words finally hit.

"WHAT THE HELL?! I've only just met you and you're telling me that you love me?! And how the hell do you know about my sister?! What are you? A stalker, or something?"

She stared at me for a minute, before her face broke into a small watery smile.

"No, I'm not a stalker, Ikuto. But I know nearly everything about you. Well...up until a few years ago..." she trailed of and stared ahead with dead looking eyes, lost in what seemed to be painful memories.

"So if you're not a stalker then how do you know so much about me?"

She snapped out of her trance and stared at me. She seemed to be contemplating something. After a few minutes she seemed to have come to a decision. She stuck a hand in her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. She then took out a pen and scribbled something down. I watched her curiously. She held it out to me.

"Here. Come to this address tomorrow morning at nine. I'll tell you everything then."

And with that she got up and disappeared into the crowd.

I stared at the piece of paper. _I don't know why, but, for some reason I feel like I can trust her._ I shoved the piece of paper in my pocket and headed home.

**Normal POV**

It was 8:55am, and the mysterious brunette could be found pacing the living room of her small flat, wringing her hands nervously. _Am I really doing the right thing? Oh well, it's too late now. He'll be here any minute now. _There was a sharp rap at the door. The brunette froze for a minute, terrified, before hurrying to answer it. _Well...here goes..._

**Ikuto's POV**

It was 8:55. I knocked on the door of one of the flats in an extremely run-down building. It was grotty and disgusting, and it smelled of piss. Nearly all the windows were smashed, and there was something that looked a hell of a lot like blood splattered on the walls. Glass, beer cans, bullet shells and needles littered the floor, making it hard to believe that anyone would ever choose to live here.

The door opened, and I was met with a pair of nervous blue orbs.

"U-umm...hi...c-come in."

She stood back and let me through, and I couldn't help but notice that she was wearing the same clothes as yesterday. _Are they the only clothes she's got, or something? _

It was no better in her flat than it was out there. I found myself in a tiny living room. If you could call it that. There was an old battered sofa, which looked like it had been rescued from a dump, placed against one of the grimy walls. In front of it was a big wooden crate which seemed to act as a table. The only form of entertainment, it seemed, was the pile of books stacked in one of the corners.

I could barely believe what I was seeing. _How can she live like this? _I turned to face her.

"You live here?" it was hard to keep the disgust out if my voice.

She gave me a sad smile and nodded. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to help her...but I didn't know how. I don't know why but ever since I met this girl, I've felt this...this need to protect her.

"I'm guessing you want some answers?" she said, breaking my train of thought,

"Wha-oh, umm...yeah..."

She gave me a small smile and lead me through a door to my right.

We were in a bathroom. I looked at her quizzically and she laughed.

"Turn around, and don't look until I say so." I nodded, silently, before turning around, still completely confused.

I heard a squeak as she turned the faucet, followed by the sound of running water.

Soon the water stopped and I heard shuffling behind me.

"Okay...turn around."

I did as she said. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped open...

**Brunette's POV**

"Okay...turn around"

He spun round and I watched as his eyes widened and his jaw fell open. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys, here's the next chappie. hoope you like! ^^_

_P.S. i've had an idea for another story, and i wanted to know what you guys think. there's a preview type thingy on my profile, so if you could take a look and pm me and tell me what you think, and whether or not you think i should write it. i'd love to hear your oppinions! ^^_

_thankies!_

_now....ON WITH THE STORY! ^^_

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**Ikuto's POV**

After what seemed like an eternity, I managed to find my voice.

"A-Amu?"

_I must be dreaming. There is no way in hell she is standing in front of me right now. She's dead. And any minute now I'm gonna wake up in my apartment, alone._

"You're not dreaming Ikuto."

That was all I needed. I stumbled forwards and wrapped my arms around her frail body. I held on tightly, terrified that she would disappear again.

I felt her arms slide around my waist as she buried her face in my chest.

"I-I...I thought you were...d-dead..."

"Gomennasai" her voice was a mere whisper.

I pulled away and crashed my lips onto hers. She seemed surprised at first, but soon responded. We broke apart a few minutes later, panting.

"How long have you been here?"

"Two months. I found a job at a club not too far from here. The pay is shit, but right now, any money is welcome. I've been living here while trying to find you guys. It's pretty crappy, but it's all I could afford..."

I couldn't believe what she was telling me. She had been living in that shit hole for the past two months, working at some club. _It's a miracle she hasn't been attacked..._

"Go pack your stuff."

She stepped back and gave me a bewildered look. _God this girl is dense._

"You're moving in with me."

"What?! No! Ikuto, I can't. I can't just invade your home like that! I'll be fine he-"

"Amu, there is no way in hell I am letting you stay here. It's a miracle you haven't been attacked already! But I'm not gonna let you hang around to find out how long it takes before you are!"

"Nothing anyone around here can do can ever compare to the shit I've been through..."

"What?! Amu, what are you talking about?!" she looked at me, shocked. She obviously hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Amu?" she stared at the floor

"I'll explain later..." she mumbled. I nodded.

"Alright, now go get your stuff."

"What? No, Ikuto, I already told you, I don't want to be a burden. I'll be fine."

"Amu, when are you going to get this through that thick head of yours? You're not a burden. I love you, and I just want to be with you. When I thought you were dead, my whole life just fell apart. I need you Amu!"

I watched as the tears started rolling down her rosy cheeks. She threw her arms around me and sobbed into my chest. I pulled her closer and buried my head in her hair. After a few minutes, I pulled away and wiped away her tears, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. I took her hand and led her back into the 'living room'.

"Do you need any help packing?" she shook her head frantically and ran into the room opposite, shutting the door behind her. I could tell she was hiding something, but I let it slide...for now.

She reappeared a few minutes later, holding a small rucksack.

"Where's the rest of your stuff?"

"This is all I have. All my money went towards the rent."

I couldn't believe she had lived like this for two months. I walked over and took the rucksack in one hand, slinging it over my shoulder, and took her hand in the other. We walked out, not bothering to lock the door behind us, and went down to my car.

I opened the door to let her in, and then jumped in the other side. The drive was almost completely silent. I turned to look at her, only to see her eyes drooping as she fought to stay awake.

"Amu, you are allowed to sleep you know."

"Hmmm? Oh, no, I'm fine. Really."

"Will you stop being so stubborn! You keep saying you're fine but you're not! Look at you! You're exhausted, and you look like you haven't eaten in weeks! Why can't you just be straight with me?!"

Her bangs were covering her eyes, and I watched as a few teardrops fell onto her hands.

"Amu, I'm sorry. It's just...I'm worried about you..."

She looked up at me, a small, watery smile gracing her features.

"I know. And I'm sorry. It's just hard for me to talk to people, and even harder for me to trust them...gomennasai. I'll try to be more honest from now on."

I gave her a small smile. _What the hell did they do to her? She's so distant. I swear, if I ever get my hands on them, I'm going to rip them limb from limb..._

A few minutes later I pulled into the car park of the apartment building I lived in. We got out of the car and Amu's jaw dropped.

"If you keep your mouth open like that you'll catch flies." I said, smirking.

She closed her mouth quickly and turned to me. She pointed at the building.

"You live _here_?!"

"Yup. Let's go." I picked up her bag and headed inside. We walked through the lobby and took the elevator up to the third floor, emerging in my living room. The building was one of the most expensive places in the city. Each apartment took up a whole floor, and looked like they came out of an interior design magazine. And mine was no different. The walls were painted a deep, blood red, and a soft navy blue carpet covered the floor. In the middle of the room was a cream leather 3 piece set, all facing a huge plasma screen TV that was attached to the wall. It had floor to ceiling window, which looked out over the city. Most people would be captivated by the sight. But I was barely ever here to enjoy it.

She was staring at the room in awe, but to be honest, it meant nothing to me. It was just a place to live. Nowhere had felt like home since she'd been taken. I only ever came here to sleep and pick up my mail. The rest of my time was spent wandering the city.

"Sugoi!" I let out a low chuckle. I took her hand and led her over to the couch.

"Wait here. I'll go put your stuff in the bedroom, then I'll make us something to eat. By the looks of it, you need it." she nodded and curled up on the sofa.

I came back a few minutes later to find her fast asleep. _Damn, she must be exhausted. I've only been gone a few minutes and she already asleep._ I let out a long sigh.

"Guess she'll have to eat later." I went back to the bedroom to grab a blanket, and put it over her. I kissed her forehead before curling up next to her.


	9. Chapter 9

**PLEASE READ!**

okay, so here's the next chappie.

but before you read it i wanted to ask you guys to please check out my profile. i have an idea for a new story on there (it's just under my description thingy) and i really want to know what you guys think, and whether you think i should continue with it. so please check it out and pm me with your oppinions. thankies! :)

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**Amu's POV**

I was wrapped up in a warm, loving embrace. I felt as though I were lying on a bed of clouds. For the first time in six years, I felt safe. My eyes fluttered open and I found myself lying in a dimly lit room, on a soft leather couch. I rolled over and was met with a pair of piercing sapphire eyes.

"Nice sleep?" I watched as a smirk crept onto his face. _God, he hasn't changed one bit._ I nodded and snuggled into his chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent.

"How long have I been asleep?" from what I remember, it was around noon when I fell asleep. But now the sky outside was a deep indigo, and millions of stars were strewn across it like diamonds.

"Hmmmm...about 8 hours. I'm actually surprised. I expected you to be out for much longer." I just stayed silent and snuggled deeper into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, burying his face in my hair. _Oh, how I've missed this..._

Then, all of a sudden, the warmth had disappeared. I opened my eyes to find Ikuto stood in the doorway, smirking at me.

"Aww, was my little strawberry enjoying that?" I felt a deep blush invade my face.

"URASAI!" I slammed my face into a nearby cushion. I heard his footsteps approach me, and soon his hands had encircled my arms trying to prise the cushion away from me.

"Amu, I was kidding. Put the cushion down." I shook my head violently.

"Fine then, I guess I'll have to eat dinner all by my lonesome..." _did he just say dinner? Now that I think about it, I haven't eaten in weeks._ My head shot up, only to come face to face with his signature smirk.

"I had a feeling that would get you." I felt my cheeks reheat and was about to slam my head back into the cushion, until a certain cat-eared pervert snatched it away. _Damn him._

"Would you stop abusing my cushion? What has it ever done to you?" I shot him my deadliest glare, which he returned with a highly amused one. We continued with our little staring contest, until my stomach interrupted with a huge growl. My cheeks turned red for the third time that night. Ikuto, however, just took my hand and led me into the kitchen, before sitting me down at the island and setting about making something to eat.

A few minutes later he set two bowls of ramen on the counter, on for him and one for me. I gulped mine down in less than a minute. I looked up to see Ikuto staring at me, mouth hanging open.

"Uh...Ikuto?"

He shut his mouth and stared at me.

"Do I have something on my face or something?"

"Amu...you do realise that you just ate a whole bowl of ramen in under a minute right?"

"Oh...ummmm...did I?"

"Amu, when was the last time you ate?"

"Huh? Why does that matter?!"

"Amu, tell me."

"....abouttwoweeksago..."

"What was that?"

"Ummmm...a-about....two weeks ago..." he didn't say anything for a moment and I braced myself for the explosion...but it never came. He slid his bowl in front of me.

"Eat it."

"What? No, Ikuto, that's yours. And anyway...I'm full now..." of course my stomach had to choose that exact moment to grumble really loudly. _Damn it!_

"Amu, eat it."

"Fine."

.x-X-x.

Once I had finished eating, Ikuto turned to look at me, looking deadly serious.

"Amu, I want to know exactly what happened to you." I'd been expecting this. But I didn't want to tell him right now.

"Umm, Ikuto...do you think you could wait just a few days?"

"Why?"

"Well I'd rather gather everyone together and tell you all at once. I don't really want to have to explain it all more than once....they're not exactly happy memories...."

I felt hot tears sting my eyes, waiting to get out. I lowered my head so that my bangs covered my eyes, but it seemed Ikuto had already noticed the tears welling up in my eyes. I felt his warm arms wrap around me, pulling me into a comforting embrace. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I let the tears cascade down my cheeks as I clung to him, reliving the terrors of the past six years. The last time I had cried like this was the day I watched my parents get shot. After that I learned to hold it in and ignore the pain, but not anymore. I sobbed my heart out in Ikuto's arms, as he rubbed circles on my back, whispering soothing words in my ears.

After about an hour, I finally calmed down. Ikuto took my hand and led me back to the living room. I was worried by the solemn look that was plastered across his face.

**Ikuto's POV**

I led her back into the living room. I knew I had to tell her, there was no point putting it off. I sat her down and tried to build up enough courage to tell her. _How the hell am I supposed to tell her? She'll probably completely break down. Maybe it would be better if I didn't tell her....No! Snap out of it Ikuto! She needs to know._

"Amu, there's something I need to tell you...it's about...your parents..." a strange emotion flashed through her eyes at the mention of her parents, but it was so fast I couldn't tell what it was.

"you see, they...they went missing the same day as you did and, so far, no one's heard from them." Silence followed my words and I was scared to look up at her. No doubt tears would be gushing down her cheeks.

"They're dead." she sated bluntly. My head shot up and I stared at her, gobsmacked.

"A-Amu...how? And how do you know?"

"Because I was there." I was in complete shock. _What the hell is she talking about?_

"Tadase ordered 2 guards to shoot them, and the twisted bastard made me watch. He said it was my punishment for spitting in his face." Her voice held no emotion, though her eyes were filled with pain and grief.

_Wait a minute...did she just say..._

"Tadase? What's he got to with any of this?" she let out a harsh, bitter laugh.

"Did I not tell you? He was the one who was behind kidnapping me. Said he was going to make me his."

_That sick twisted bastard! I can't believe he was the one who put her through all of this! And he made her watch her parents get murdered?! I swear if I ever get my hands on him I will tear him to piec-_

"Hey, Ikuto?" Amu's angelic voice snapped me out of my reverie.

"Hmm?"

"I was just wondering...Ikuto, where's Ami?" I was slightly taken aback by the sudden plea.

"Umm, why?"

"What do you mean why? She's my sister. I-I need to see her..."

"She's in America, living with relatives."

"Do you have their number?"

"Yeah..."

"Give it to me."

"What? But Amu! She's happy now. You calling her out of the blue will turn her life upside down! She thinks you're dead for god's sake!"

"Ikuto, you don't understand!" tears started to spill over her cheeks once again. "Before they took me, I made her a promise. I told her that I'd be ok, and that I'd be back. I don't want her living her life thinking that I lied to her. I don't want her living her life hating me!"

"Amu...Ami doesn't hate you. In fact, if she hates anyone, it's herself. She blames herself for what happened to you. She thinks it's her fault because you were trying to protect her. She could never hate you..."

"Ikuto, please...just let me talk to her..." she was begging. I could tell this meant everything to her. I nodded slowly. A watery smile spread across her face as she launched herself across the room and threw her arms around me.

"A-arigato!"

"I have one condition though."

"What?"

"I'm going to talk to her. I'll get her to come to Japan. You can talk to her then."

"Alright. But don't tell her about me. I want to surprise her." I nodded in agreement.

"It's getting late. We should get some rest."

"Sure, but do you mind if I have a shower first?"

"Sure, there's an ensuite in the bedroom."

"Thanks."

**Amu's POV**

I walked into the bathroom and turned the water on. I stripped down and stepped into the warm water, letting it wash over my aching body. _It's been ages since I got to have a nice, warm shower. Considering that damn flat had no warm water whatsoever. This feels so great._

**30 minutes later**

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body. I walked into the bedroom to find something to wear. _Shit._

"Ikuto!" a few seconds later he appeared in the doorway, his eyes filled with panic.

"What is it? What's happened?"

"I....uh....I-I've got nothing to wear..."

"What do you mean you've got nothing to wear?"

"Well, like I said, all my money went towards rent. I didn't have enough to go shopping, so the only clothes I had were the ones I was wearing and my work clothes."

He stared at me in obvious disbelief for a few minutes. But soon he got his composure back, and a sly smirk crept onto his face. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"Well, you don't have to wear anything, you know. In fact, I think I'd prefer it if you didn't."

"PERVERT!!!!!!!!!!"

He chuckled as he walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a shirt. He tossed it to me.

"Here, you can wear this for now, and we'll go shopping tomorrow."

I pulled the shirt on and dug round in my bag for a pair of knickers.

Once I was dressed, I slipped into bed. Ikuto climbed in after me and I buried my face in his chest. I took a deep breath, breathing in his intoxicating scent. And with that I fell into a peaceful sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ikuto's POV**

I woke up early, and rolled onto my side to see Amu sleeping peacefully. I stared at her for a few minutes, caressing her cheek, before sliding out of bed quietly. I padded into the living room to make a few calls. I decided to call my dad first.

"Ikuto? Bit early for you isn't it?" I could tell he was smirking.

"Shut it."

"Alright, alright, what do you want?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you had someone that i could send shopping."

"Shopping? For what? And why can't you go yourself?"

"For clothes. And I can't go because I don't want to leave...someone, here alone."

"Wait a minute. Who the hell is this someone? Is it a girl? Did you forget about Amu?!"

"Dad! Yes it is a girl. And no I haven't forgotten about Amu. How could i?"

"Then why do you have a girl at your apartment?!"

"*sigh* because...listen if I tell you have to promise not to say a word to anyone. At least not yet."

"Okay..."

"The girl in my apartment _is _Amu."

_3..._

_2..._

_1..._

"WHAT?! What do you mean it's Amu?! I thought she was...well...you know..."

"I know, I thought she was to. But she turned up out of the blue the other night. And from the looks of it, she's been through hell. She's way too skinny and she looks completely exhausted. Not to mention she was living in a shit hole, and working at a damn strip club."

"SHE WHAT?!"

"I know. I can't believe it either. So, can you spare someone?"

"Sure, I'll send someone right away."

"Thanks."

"No problem. And Ikuto?"

"Hmm?"

"Look after her."

"I plan to." And with that he hung up. I let out a long sigh. _Well that's one thing sorted. I should probably wait till Amu's up before making those other calls. I don't wanna do anything till she's ready._ I let out another sigh before heading into the kitchen to make breakfast.

**Amu's POV**

I opened my eyes slowly, praying that I hadn't dreamed the past twenty four hours. I hadn't. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that's happened. I was completely wrapped up in my thoughts. That is, until a certain cat eared pervert suddenly popped into my line of vision.

"KYAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

"Yo."

"Ikuto! You scared the hell out of me." he just stood there chuckling.

"Come on. Breakfast is ready." I followed him out into the kitchen, where there were two plates of pancakes, covered in melted chocolate with a strawberry placed on top. I sweatdropped at the food. _Same old Ikuto._ I sat down and dug in.

"Wow. These are actually pretty decent."

"Surprised Amu?"

"Actually...yeah..." I smiled sheepishly as he let out a short chuckle. Then his face got serious.

"Amu, I was wondering when you were planning to tell everyone that you're back."

"*sigh* I had a feeling you were gonna ask me about that. I suppose it's would be better to do it sooner rather than later. But I want to surprise them all. Do you think you could get everyone here tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'm guessing when you say everyone, that you mean Ami as well?" I nodded.

"Okay, I'll have to phone her soon then, so she has time to sort out flights. Though I have no idea how your aunt's going to react to me dragging Ami back to Japan."

"Haha. Don't worry; I'm sure you can sweet talk her."

"I hope so. I guess I should go phone her now."

"Ne, Ikuto..."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could let me listen in? I-I want to hear her voice again..." he gave me a weird look, and I couldn't work out what emotions his eyes were showing.

"Sure."

"A-arigato."

We walked into the living room and Ikuto picked up the phone and started dialling the number. I was a complete nervous wreck.

He put it on speaker and I listen to it ringing. After about five rings someone picked up.

"Hello?" my eyes widened and began to water. _She sounds so mature. _Ikuto put his arm around me and squeezed my shoulder.

"Hey, Ami."

"Ikuto-nii is that you?!"

"The one and only."

"Sugoi! It's been ages since I last spoke to you! How are you? Is something wrong? What have you been up to?"

"Ami, calm down."

"Oh, right. Sorry...so what did you want?"

"Actually, I was hoping I could talk to you face to face."

"Huh? Why?"

Ikuto looked at me questioningly, but I shook my head.

"I can't tell you right now, but it's really important. So I was hoping you could come back to Japan for a while."

"I don't mind, but I'll have to ask auntie."

"Kay."

"So when did you want me to come?"

"Actually, I was hoping that you could be here by tomorrow."

"WHAT!? That would mean I'd have to catch a plane today!"

"I know it's short notice, but it really is important." I crossed my fingers hoping she would agree.

"*sigh* alright. Hold on, I'll go ask."

"Kay."

"..."

"..."

"Nii-san, you still there?"

"Yup."

"Good. She wants to talk to you."

"Okay, put her on."

"Hello?"

"Hey Luanne."

"Ah, Ikuto. May I ask what is so important that you have to drag my niece half way around the world? And at such short notice too!" _same old auntie._

Ikuto shot me another glance before replying.

"I-I can't tell you. Sorry."

"Well I'm afraid that unless you tell me what this is about, she's not going anywhere."

"bu-"

"No buts."

Ikuto looked at me pleadingly. I sighed before nodding.

"Alright, I'll tell you. But you have to promise me that you won't tell Ami."

"I promise. Now, what is it?"

"It's about Amu."

"What?! Hold on. Ami! I need you to go out in the garden....because I said so...NOW!"

"...."

"Okay, now what's going on?"

"Amu's alive." _Well that was blunt._

"WHAT?! How do you know?"

"Because she's here with me."

"B-but how?"

"I'm not really sure myself, she refuses to tell me until everyone's together."

"Let me talk to her."

"What?" I started to panic, and shook my head frantically. There's no way I could talk to her. What would I say?

"Well, how do I know you're not just lying to me to get me to let Ami go to Japan?" I was in complete shock when she said that. And so was Ikuto.

"y-you really think I'd make something like this up?!"

"Well, you never know..."

Ikuto looked at me and I nodded.

"Fine....hold on."

"..."

"Auntie?"

"..."

"Hello?"

"A-Amu..."

"Hey auntie, long time no speak."

"A-Amu...he wasn't lying...you really are...a-alive..." her voice broke towards the end and I could tell she was crying.

"Auntie don't cry. I'm fine. I promise. But I really need to see Ami. Please let her come."

"o-of course."

"Arigato! I've got to go. I promise I'll talk to you soon. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye, love you."

The dial tone sounded as she hung up, and I stared at the phone for a few minutes. I could feel the tears brimming in my eyes. _I'm finally going to see her again. I'm going to see Ami again! _Ikuto walked towards me and wiped away my tears, before pulling me into a gentle hug.

"I'll phone the others later on."

"Okay....hey Ikuto, I still have nothing to wear." I felt him smirk at my comment. "Don't even think about it!"

"Aww...Amu-koi, you're so mean." He gave me a fake pout, which I usually would have fallen for, but this time I wasn't in the mood.

"Ikuto, I'm serious. What am I supposed to wear?"

"Stop worrying will you. I got someone from Easter to go get some clothes for you. They'll be delivered later."

"How'd you do that?"

"You forget, my dad took over the company."

"Oh yeah..." he let out a low chuckle.

"So what do you want to do today?"

"Can we just stay here? I don't really feel like going out."

"Sure."

We decided to spend the day watching movies, and pigging out. I felt so relaxed and safe. Then when my clothes came, I spent hours trying them all on; much to Ikuto's annoyance.

He phoned everyone during the afternoon, and they all agreed to come. And Ami called back to tell him what time her flight lands. By the time we went to bed I was a complete nervous wreck. I was terrified of their reactions. But what scared me most was seeing Ami again. I mean she was 14. She was no longer the little girl I used to know.

"Amu. Calm down and stop fidgeting. It's gonna be fine. I promise. Just get some sleep."

I calmed down instantly, and cuddled closer to him. I soon drifted off into dreamland; my thoughts on Ami and my friends, and all that was going to happen the next day.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ami's POV**

I was sat on a plane, and I was getting really nervous. I hadn't seen Ikuto-nii in years. Sure I've talked to him on the phone, but that's about it. But what's getting me really nervous is what he wants to talk to me about. I know it must be huge, considering he asked me to fly out from America. I don't know why, but I had the feeling it was something to do with Amu. _Maybe he's given up on her. Maybe he's found someone else. But...he wouldn't do that would he?_

It would be about another hour till the plane lands, and nii-san's picking me up from the airport. I'm really excited to see him. I owe him a lot. After everything that happened that day, losing Amu, and finding my parents gone, he stuck by me. He looked after me until the authorities found somewhere for me to go. I could tell he wanted nothing more than to go out and find Amu, but he stayed with me. In some ways I wish he hadn't. Maybe if I wasn't there to bother him, he might have found Amu.

Once I moved in with auntie, I took up fighting lessons. I blamed myself for what happened. If I could have defended myself, Amu wouldn't have been taken. She sacrificed herself for me. And for that, I hate myself. Everyone keeps telling me that it's not my fault, and that I shouldn't be so hard on myself, but it is my fault. She got taken because I was weak.

I was quite excited to be going back to Japan, but I was also terrified. It was the first time in six years that I'd been back. I knew it was going to hard going back to the place where my life fell apart. But at the same time I was excited to see Ikuto-nii and everyone else.

**Ikuto's POV**

I was driving to the airport. Ami's flight would be getting in about quarter of an hour. Amu had been a complete wreck this morning. She was jumpy, and jittery, and kept fidgeting. She tried to come along, but I made her stay behind. I hoped that by the time we got back she would be calmer.

I pulled into the car park, and walked into the airport, waiting for Ami to arrive.

About 5 minutes later, a voice boomed over the intercom, announcing the arrival of her flight. I watched the mass of people streaming out, trying to discern a certain brunette in the crowd.

"Ikuto-nii!" a voice shrieked over the buzz of the crowd. A small brunette came flying at me, a huge grin plastered across her face. Her arms wrapped around me as she pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. I let out a low chuckle.

"Hey, Ami. It's good to see you too...though it would be nicer if I could breathe." She giggled lightly and let go. She stepped back and I manage to get a better look at her. The only thing that came to my mind was, she'd grown up. She was no longer that little kid that I used to know. Her soft brown hair cascaded down her back, stopping at her butt. Her, once innocent, honey eyes, identical to her sister's, held more knowledge and maturity, and her petite frame was just like Amu's. I also noticed her chara. Of course, she'd told me about her. Her name was Natsumi, and she got her not long after she moved in with her aunt. She had huge chocolate brown eyes, and bright pink hair that stopped at her shoulders. She was wearing a pair of black, ripped, skinny jeans, and a t-shirt with 'fight' written across it in silver. Natsumi came from Ami's wish to be stronger, and to be able to protect the ones she loves.

"Wow. You've change...a lot." she smiled sheepishly.

"Well it has been six years. Did you really expect me to be the same eight-year-old I was back then?"

"I guess not."

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Umm, I can't tell you just yet. Why don't we go back to the apartment? Everyone should be there by now." She shot me a confused look.

"I need to tell everyone something, and it's really important. Which is why I asked you to come; it's better to do it face to face." She gave me a slow nod.

"Okay..." I picked up her bags and walked out to the car.

**Amu's POV**

_Okay, I am now in total panic mode. Ikuto's been gone for nearly an hour, and they're gonna be back any minute now. I'm completely terrified. What if they don't recognise me? What if they hate me? I don't think I can do this._ I was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, and the door was closed. Ikuto told me to stay in here so that they couldn't see me, but I could still hear the conversation.

I heard the ding of the elevator. And my head snapped up. I strained my ears to hear what was going on.

"Seems like they're not back from the airport yet." Tears sprang to my eyes. _Utau..._

"Yeah, I wonder what this is about. Ever since Amu got taken, Tsukyomi barely contacted us at all." _Kukai..._

"I know. It seems he just called everyone out of the blue yesterday." _Nagi..._

"Well it must be important if he asked Ami to come." _Rima..._

"Do you think it has anything to do with Amu-chii?" _Yaya...._

"I doubt it. I mean it's been six years..." _Sanjou..._

"Yeah, if they were gonna find anything; it would have happened years ago..." _Nikaidou-sensei..._

"But still...it's hard to accept the fact that she's really gone..." _Kairi..._

I could feel the tears flowing down my cheeks. _I never, in a million years, thought I'd hurt them _this _much._

It was silent in the other room, and I could hear shuffling as they made their way over to the sofas.

A few minutes later another ding sounded.

"Ami!" they all shouted. It took all of my will power to stop me running out there right there and then.

"Minna! How have you been? I've missed you all so much!"

"Guys, we can catch up later, right now we need to talk. All the chattering died down and I could tell they were all watching Ikuto nervously.

"Right....well...you see...the thing is...."

"Spit it out already Tsukyomi!"

"Fine...do you know what? It'd probably be easier to show you." My breath hitched. _Shit! I'm not ready. I can't do this!_ I could hear footsteps approaching. The door opened slightly, but closed quickly.

"Ikuto I can't do this!" I whispered.

"Hey, it's alright, you can. And don't worry. I'll be right there with you." He stepped towards me and wiped my tears away. He slid his hand into mine and pulled me gently to the door. I took a deep, calming breath and nodded. He opened the door and we stepped into the living room. Nine heads shot up, and nine jaws dropped open.

Ami was the first to recover.

"N-nee-chan...Is...is t-that really you?" her voice was shaking and I could see the tears forming in her eyes. I smiled weakly and nodded, tears flowing down my cheeks once again.

"nee-chan!" she bolted across the room and threw her arms around me, letting the tears fall. We collapsed onto the floor, tears cascading down our cheeks. I pulled her closer to me, never wanting to let go.

"Nee-chan, it's really you! I...I...I th-thought you w-were d-d-dea-"

"Shh, its okay, I'm right here."

"Gomennasai! It's all my fault! If I was stronger they never would have gotten you!"

"Ami..."

Utau and Rima were the next to recover; soon followed by Yaya and the others.

"Amu..."

"Amu-chan..."

"Hinamori..."

"Amu..."

"Amu-chii..."

"Hinamori-san..."

"Himamori-san..."

"Amu-san..."

Utau, Rima, Sanjou-san, Yaya, Nagi and Kukai all had silent tears streaming down their faces as the stared at me. Kairi and Nikaidou-sensei just stared at me in shock. I shot them all a small smile.

"AMU!"

"AMU-CHII!"

They ran over to me and enveloped me and Ami in a group hug. Everyone had tears cascading down their cheeks, but no-one cared. We just continued hugging and crying, revelling in the joy of being reunited.

**Half an hour later**

We'd finally calmed down enough to start a conversation, though Ami, Rima, Yaya, and Utau still clung to me like I would disappear again at any second.

"b-but I don't get it. Amu-chan...When? And how?" Nagihiko spoke up, voicing everyone's questions. I let out a sigh and turned to Ikuto. He nodded in understanding and turned to the group.

"I think it would be easier if I told you my side of the story first." Everyone nodded and gestured for him to carry on.

"Okay, so 2 days ago, I was walking through the city as usual, but I wasn't really paying attention to everything around me. So you could guess that I was surprised when some random person tackles me. Well, apparently I was about to get hit by a car, and she saved me. She was in her early twenties and had electric blue eyes and brown hair."

"Ikuto, does it really matter what the girl looked like?" Utau asked, getting impatient. I couldn't help letting out a small giggle._ She hasn't changed one bit._ She gave me a small smile before turning back to Ikuto.

"Well actually, yes it does. Now will you shut up and let me speak." She shot him a glare, which he gladly returned.

"Anyway, she started screaming at me, calling me an idiot and such."

I heard Utau mumble something next to me that sounded scarily like "got that right..." and it seemed Ikuto heard her too, because his eyebrow started to twitch, but other than that he ignored the comment and carried on.

"Then she said something about my sister...and...Ummmm..." I could tell he was debating whether or not to tell them the _whole _of the conversation. Apparently he decided not to. "Well, I asked her how she knew about my sister, considering I'd only just met her, and she told me that she knew a lot about me. I tried to get it out of her, but she refused to tell me. So she gave me her address and told me to meet her there the next day."

"Oh, please tell me you didn't go!" exclaimed Utau.

"Yes Utau, I went."

"Are you a complete idiot?! What if it had been a trap?!"

"Well it wasn't okay. So just calm down." Utau crossed her arms over her chest, and started pouting. Ikuto just ignored her and carried on. "Well, I turned up when she said, and she let me in. She took me into the bathroom and told me to face the wall. I could hear the shower running, and then, after a few minutes, she told me to turn around...."

"So...what happened next dude? And how does Hinamori come into all of this?"

"Because I was the girl." everybody turned to stare at me.

"What? But Ikuto told us she had brown hair and blue eyes. You've got pink hair and honey coloured eyes."

"I know...I was on the run, so I had to disguise myself. I sprayed my hair brown and wore blue contacts in the hope that no one would recognise me. And I guess it worked." They all stared at me in shock.

"But...but Amu-chan...How...how are you still alive? We...we thought they wanted to get rid of you? A-and where have you been for the past six years?" I let out a long sigh. I guess I've got a bit of explaining to do..." Ikuto came over and sat down next to me, wrapping his arms around me protectively.

"Well, I think the first thing you should know is who was behind it."

"Wasn't it Hiroshima trade company?" asked Rima.

"Well, yes and no..." they all shot me confused looks. I let out a low laugh.

"Hiroshima did play a huge part, but the person who was actually behind it was Hotori Tadase."

"WHAT?!"

"AMU-CHII, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! TADA-CHAN WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD HE?!"

"I thought so too Yaya. But it's true. He used Hiroshima Trade Company to back him."

"B-but...why?"

"Because he's a selfish, arrogant pig; that's why."

"Himamori-san?"

"He didn't like the fact that I chose Ikuto over him. So he decided he'd kidnap me and punish me...then make me his..."

"That sick, twisted bastard. I never did like him..."growled Utau.

"The second thing I need to say is mainly to Ami." She looked up at me terrified of what I was about to say. I looked her in the eyes, dreading what I was about to say. "Ami, it's about mamma and papa." Her eyes widened. "They...they're...d-dead..." she looked down at her hands. And I watched a few tears fall onto her lap. I pulled her into a hug, and tried to comfort her.

"I-I shouldn't r-really be s-s-surprised....I m-mean, I-I guess I-I've always known that t-they were d-dead. E-ever since that d-day, I-I've just had t-this nagging feeling in my heart, telling me that they're gone. I just n-never thought anyone w-would actually confirm it..."

"Hinamori-san....I know it's probably hard for you to talk about....but, if you don't mind....how do you know this?"

"It's fine Kairi...though I'm not sure if you should hear this Ami..." she looked up at me and shook her head.

"I don't care. I want to know."

"Alright...when I arrived, Tadase pissed me off. So I spat in his face. He got really angry when I wouldn't..._humour_...him. So he told the guards to bring something in. That something happened to be my parents....I told him I'd do whatever he wanted if he'd let them go. But he wouldn't listen. He said I needed to be shown what happens when I disobey him...he...he called two guards over and they pulled out their guns..." my breath hitched as I tried to keep my calm. Utau, Sanjou-san and Rima had wide eyes with their hands over their mouths, while the boys all looked horrified. Nikaidou-sensei had a really serious look on his face, and Ami and Yaya, had tears streaming down their faces. I felt Ikuto slide his hand into mine and squeeze it lightly. I squeezed his back before continuing.

"I-I asked him to stop...but he refused....and....Th-they w-were shot..." there was a tense silence as everyone tried to process what I'd said. I stared at my hands, scared to see their reactions.

After a few minutes, I looked up to see them looking at me, their eyes filled with grief for me, and rage for what Tadase had done.

"Amu...I...I..."

"It's fine Utau..."

"No! It's not fine Amu! How can you say that after what you just told us?!"

"Utau, drop it."

"But Ikuto!"

"Utau!"

"Fine."

Nikaidou turned to me. "But Himamori-san, you've told us who took you, and what happened to your parents...but you haven't told us where you were, or what's happened in the past six years, or how you ended up back here."

"I guess you guys deserve to know...well first off, I was in an underground cell in a warehouse in America. I was there for four years."


	12. Chapter 12

_hey peeple! im sooooooooo so sorry for not updating but the evil repair dudes stole my laptop without giving me the chance to back up my files. but i managed to get onto the family comp nd steal the chappie back from my friend. (thank god i sent it to her). but the other stuff, which hasnt been saved, is most likely going to get deleted :'(_

_anyhoo. this comp is dying nd i dont know when i'll get my laptop back, but i will try to update my stories soon. once again, sorry!_

* * *

"_I guess you guys deserve to know...well first off, I was in an underground cell in a warehouse in America. I was there for four years..."_

**Amu's POV**

"But Amu-chii, if you were only there for 4 years then where were you for the other two? And what happened to you when you were there?"

"Yaya, I'll get to that later. As for when I was there, to put it bluntly, I was tortured."

_*Flashback*_

_I sat on the cold stone floor. It had been about three days since Tadase killed my parents, and I'd been left completely alone. My charas were with me, but we didn't talk much. I'd been left without food or water, and I was starting to grow weak. I probably looked a complete wreck. My eyes were red and puffy from crying, and my lips were swollen. My wrists were red and chapped from the chains, and my clothes were filthy, and slightly ripped from being thrown around._

_My head shot up as I heard the door slam open. My eyes came to a halt on the figure framed in the doorway. Tadase. The cruel, sadistic bastard was back. I was unnerved by the malicious grin spread across his face, but I hid it and sent him an icy glare. I would never forgive him for what he did. He stepped forwards, his hands behind his back, and grinned down at me._

"_Well, I think you've had long enough to grieve. How about we start your punishment?" I was instantly filled with dread and fear. His twisted grin widened as he pulled a whip from behind his back. My eyes widened in terror._

"_N-No....Tadase....p-please...." my voice was hoarse and cracked from lack of water._

"_Well, that's no fun. Guards, bring her some water. I want to be able to hear her screams."_

_A guard entered with a bottle of water. He walked over and poured it roughly down my throat, causing me to choke and splutter. He then unlocked the chains and turned me to face the wall, before putting them back on._

_I listened to his footsteps retreat, and the door swing shut. I braced myself for the pain._

_The crack of the whip echoed through the tiny cell, followed by my screams of pain. I heard Tadase laughing sadistically. It went on for what seemed like hours, and I could the hot sticky blood flowing over my back._

_He finally stopped, and another person entered. It was a doctor. It seemed Tadase wanted to keep me alive. He told the doctor to patch me up, and left. I felt cold water trickle down my back as he tried to clean my wounds._

"_...p-please....you...you've got t-to...help me..." I whispered._

"_I'm sorry...I would if I could....but he...he's got my d-daughter..."_

"_Gomennasai...I didn't know..."_

"_Don't apologize... it's not your fault. I'll try to figure out some way to free you."_

"_Arigato, but I don't want to put you or your daughter in danger..." he finished dressing my wounds and left. I sat in silence, waiting for sleep to take me over. It wasn't long before it did._

_What happened that day soon turned into a weekly thing. Tadase would come and he would spend two or three hours simply whipping me. After a while, I learnt to hide the pain. I stopped screaming out in pain, I refused to give him the satisfaction. He knew it still hurt, but he wanted to hear me scream, wanted to see my tears; so he decided to find other ways of torture. His visits became daily._

_His favourite forms of torture were beating me, whipping me and the stun-belt. I think the stun-belt was the worst. He would attach it to my waist, and I had to remain completely still. If I moved, thousands of volts of electricity would shoot through my body. It was complete agony. It was one of the times that I actually succumbed to my pain and screamed._

_After a few weeks of beatings he decided to torment and humiliate me more. He'd just finished hitting me and leant down so that his face was inches from mine._

"_Don't worry; it will all be worth it in the end. You'll see that it's me that you want."_

"_You asshole…I'd never love a sick, heartless bastard like you." I spat at him only to be received by another hit, a kick to my stomach. The air got knocked out of me as she gasped for breath._

"_I suggest you keep quiet…" Tadase growled. Tadase started feeling around my body as I whimpered. I tried using my legs to kick him but was too weak to even move. I became limp and didn't fight back as Tadase forcefully crashed his lips to mine. As he pulled back, he saw that my lips were red and swollen. My lips had a cut on the side. He smirked. As he smirked though, his lips never left my skin. He kissed my neck and bit down hard, marking his territory over me. I cried out whimpering in pain as fresh tears spilled down my face._

_If I disobeyed him, or pissed him off he would usually punch or kick me. Though there was one time that I refused to scream when he was 'punishing' me. So he shot me in the foot. The pain was unbearable. It felt like my foot was on fire. I could see the blood spilling out of the wound, forming a crimson puddle around me. I couldn't hold it in; I screamed and screamed in agony. I lay, sobbing, on the floor as the bastard laughed._

_After a few months of this torture, I gave up hope. My charas went back into their eggs, and soon became X-eggs._

_Then, one day, I snapped. One of the guards walked in with my food. I saw the gun, and instinct took over. Somehow, the chains broke; I dived for the gun, taking the guard by surprise. The rest went by in a blur. I passed corridor after corridor, shooting anyone who got in my way. I had no mercy for the ones who'd kept me imprisoned for four years. The only thing I could think about was getting out of there._

_I bolted through a doorway, and blinked in the bright sunlight. I breathed in a breath of fresh air, before sprinting away. I ran for hours, not knowing where I was going, and not really caring. I was free. I was finally free. I finally stopped when I came to the entrance of a park. I walked over to a forested part, and fell asleep amongst the trees._

_*end of flashback*_

I could feel fresh tears streaming down my cheeks. I looked at the others to see that they were all crying too.

I looked at Ikuto, to see his eyes filled with rage, though his gaze softened when I looked at him.

"Amu..." he pulled me onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around me protectively. I buried my face into his shirt, trying to stop the flow of tears.

"A-Amu....I can't believe he did that to you..."

"Yeah, Amu-chii....it's horrible..."

"I agree... though, I would like to know....what happened after you escaped? If you don't mind me asking..."

"Yeah, Hinamori, why'd it take you so long to get back?"

"It's fine Kairi. And I had trouble getting back. Once Tadase found out I'd escaped, he ordered them to find me. There were guards all over the country looking for me. Not only that...I was in another country. I had no passport or identity, so it was hard getting out. I was in hiding for about a year, then I managed to stowaway on a boat to Japan, but Tadase followed me. I was running from him, with no money whatsoever. But I managed to get hold of some brown hair spray and some contacts, and it didn't take long to lose him. I managed to find a flat, and one of the strip-clubs agreed to hire me. I hated it. But I was desperate, so I had no choice. That was two months ago. Then, the other night, I was walking to work, when I saw Ikuto. I saw him walk out into the road, and I saw the car about to hit him. So I tackled him. I couldn't tell him who I was right then. So I invited him over to the flat. I didn't really want him seeing where I lived, but there was nowhere else. And then you know the rest..."

There was complete silence for a few minutes, and everyone stared at me in shock. I felt Ikuto's arms tighten around me, as he rested his head on mind. I stared down at my hands.

"...A-Amu...h-how?" I looked up at Rima, completely confused. She was staring at me in grief and awe. "How can you go through all of that...and still be so...so...strong?" I looked over at the others to see them nodding in agreement.

"...I...I don't know...I guess I just thought about everything that happened, and about you guys, and my parents, and...It made me determined to keep going...I won't let Tadase win..." I heard Ikuto growl into my hair.

"I swear, if I ever see that sick bastard again, I'll kill him..."

"No, you won't! I won't let you get yourself thrown into jail because of him! He's not worth it."

"You really expect me to let him get away with what he did to you?"

"Yeah, I do. All that matters is that I'm back, and I'm okay."

"But you're not okay Amu!" shouted Utau. I turned to look at her. "I mean, look at you! You're thin as a rake, and it's obvious that you're hurting! How can you say you're okay after what you just told us?"

"Utau....you don't get it....you're right, I am hurting...but I know I'll be okay, because...because I've got all of you with me, and I know I can get through it..." I was instantly tackled into another group hug. I could tell Ikuto wasn't pleased; he was stuck in the middle of it, considering I was sat on his lap.

After a while they finally released us. I think it had something to do with the death glares Ikuto was shooting them. I mean, it was pretty scary...

"Yo, Hinamori, You said your charas became X-eggs right?" I looked at Kukai and nodded sadly.

"Yoru did as well, didn't he Ikuto-kun?" asked Sanjou. I looked up at Ikuto in surprise.

"Yoru did? When? Why?" he looked down at me and sighed.

"About a year after you went missing. I thought you were dead. Everyone did. I just gave up hope, and Yoru went back into his egg, before turning into an X-egg."

"So are they still X-eggs?" asked Rima. "I mean, you said they turned into X-eggs because you lost hope, but you've found each other now, so, in theory, they should be back to normal." Me and Ikuto looked at each other before getting up and heading to the bedroom. The others decided to follow. I headed over to my backpack and search through it for my eggs, while Ikuto went over to one of the drawers. I pulled out four eggs. Pink, blue, green and yellow, no trace of an X on any of them. I let out a sigh of relief and smiled. I looked over to Ikuto to see him smiling back, Yoru's egg in his hand, completely normal.

"I wonder when they're going to rehatch..." at that moment, there was a cracking sound. The five eggs burst open.

"AMU-CHAN!" my four charas yelled in unison.

"IKUTO ~NYA!" yelled Yoru.

They all flew over and hugged us. I could tell they had missed us. They pulled away and seemed to finally realise where they were.

"Amu-chan! You escaped! But...but how?"

"AMU~NYA!" Yoru shot across the room and started nuzzling my cheek. I couldn't help but laugh.

Ikuto turned to me wide eyed.

"What?" I asked.

"You laughed..."

"Yeah?"

"That's the first time you've laughed since you came back...I've missed it..." I felt tears spring to my eyes.

"Ikuto..."

"Alright! Enough with the lovey dovey mush!" we both turned to glare at Kukai, who rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

"hehe. Ummmm....gotta go! Bye!" and with that he bolted out of the room. We all stared at the door for a few minutes before bursting into a fit of laughter. We laughed so hard we all ended up clutching our sides, with tears streaming down our faces. It felt so good to laugh and enjoy myself. To be with my friends and Ami. I finally felt safe and loved._ I'm finally home..._


	13. Chapter 13

_Hey guys, I know I haven't updated in forever and I am majorly sorry. My laptop got taken away for repairs and I've only just got it back. I must say 4 weeks with no laptop is absolute hell! But don't worry, I'll be updating much quicker now._

_I spent ages on this chappie and i know you guys are gonna want to kill me when you read it XD_

_Anyhoo, enjoy! :)_

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Amu's POV

It's been three months since being reunited with Ikuto and the others, and things have changed quite a bit. Ikuto's become a lot more protective, and refuses to let me go anywhere without someone with me. Not that I mind. I feel safer knowing I'm not alone. After all, without my disguise, it's easy for people to recognise me.

I spend most of my time with Ikuto, just relaxing. It feels good to just sit and do nothing after everything that's happened. Ami is living with us temporarily at the moment. Auntie agreed to let her stay for the remainder of the school year, so we enrolled her at Seiyo middle school. I've gained back the weight I lost over the years, and now I'm a lot healthier.

My friends are constantly in and out of the apartment, visiting. I think they're still trying to get over the fact that I'm back, so they drop by every day to check that I'm still here. They completely panic if they can't find me or if I don't reply straight away. It's quite funny to watch actually. Especially Kukai. The first time it happened to him he ran round in circles screaming "OH MY GOD!" over and over again. But his face was priceless when he noticed me and Ikuto stood watching him. And even funnier when he realised we were only wearing towels. He stood gawking at me for about 5 minutes. That is, until an extremely pissed Ikuto threw him out. I don't think Ikuto ever forgave him for that....or Utau....

I also caught up on everything that happened while I was...._away_. Apparently Nikaidou-sensei and Sanjou-san got married about two years after I disappeared, and a year later Kukai and Utau tied the knot as well. Kairi and Yaya hooked up about four years after I went missing and Rima finally accepted Nagi's marriage proposal (after seven refusals), and they're set to get married in the summer.

.x-X-x.

I woke up earlier than usual. I was curled up with Ikuto, my face buried in his chest, and his arm draped over my waist. I breathed in, taking in his intoxicating scent, and let out a sigh of contentment. I looked up at him, watching him sleep peacefully, a small smile etched onto his features. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him. He always looked so cute when he slept. He looked like an overgrown kid.

I lay watching him for a few more minutes, before sliding out of bed, gently, so as not to wake him. I crept across the room and pulled some clothes out. I decided to take a walk around the city, seeing as I haven't had any time alone so far. I got dressed and scribbled a note for Ikuto so that he wouldn't worry, before creeping out into the hall. I peeked into Ami's room on my way out, to find her sleeping peacefully. I closed the door quietly and headed to the elevator. I slipped into my shoes and stepped in. I knew Ikuto would freak when he found out I went out alone, but he wouldn't be awake for another hour or so, but he'd calm down....eventually.

The elevator door slid open and I stepped out into the lobby. I crossed the room and walked out into the crisp winter air. I headed off down the street, humming to myself. It felt so great to be free, and I couldn't wipe the content smile off of my face.

**Ikuto's POV**

I opened my eyes slowly, and the first thing I realised was that Amu wasn't there. I instantly panicked. I shot up and searched around the apartment for any sign of her. I couldn't find her anywhere and her shoes were missing too. Ami came out to find out what all the noise was about.

"Ne, Ikuto, what's up?" she was still in her pyjamas and was rubbing her eyes with balled up hands.

"Amu's not here and her shoes are missing." Her eyes shot open and she stared at me, fear evident in her honey orbs.

"Are you sure? She didn't leave a note or anything? She wouldn't just leave like that! She knows how much everyone worries about her!"

"I haven't seen a note; I was busier trying to find her. Go check if she left one on the fridge or something, I'll check the bedroom. She nodded and went into the kitchen, while I ran to the bedroom. I prayed to god that she was alright. I looked around the room and saw a piece of paper resting on her pillow. _How did I not notice that before?_

I ran over and picked it up.

_Ikuto,_

_I woke up early and fancied a walk. I didn't want to wake you guys up so I went on my own._

_I know you don't want me out alone, but I'll be back soon so don't worry. I've got my phone with me_

_If you need me._

_Back soon, Love, Amu x_

I sighed in relief and dropped onto the bed. Ami walked in and spotted the note in my hand.

"What does it say?"

"She's gone for a walk, and it says she'll be back soon." He face lit up as she smiled.

"That's good. I was really worried for a minute there. I'm gonna go make breakfast, kay Ikuto? Then I'll head off to school." I nodded and watched as she skipped out of the room humming.

I reread the note a few times before heading into the living room. Even though I knew she was just taking a walk, and that she would be back soon, I couldn't help but glance out of the windows every few minutes.

"Ne, Ikuto, I'm heading out now. Ja ne!" I nodded as she stepped into the elevator and disappeared behind the metal doors. I glanced out of the window again before sighing and picking up the phone. I tapped in Amu's number and listened to it ringing.

"_Hey Ikuto."_

"Hey, where are you? Do you know how worried I was when I woke up and you weren't there?"

"_I'm in the park around the corner, I'm just heading back. And I left you a note; I didn't want to wake you."_

"I know you did, but that doesn't stop me from worrying. What if something happened to you?"

"Ikuto you worry too much."

"Can you blame me, after everything that's happened?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Sor—mmph!"

"Amu?!"

She let out a strangled scream.

"AMU?!"

I could hear shuffling, and the sound of car doors slamming.

"AMU!"

"Amu can't come to the phone right now; she's a little....tied up."

I listened as the dial tone sounded. The phone slipped from my fingers as I sat frozen. I snapped out of my daze and bolted over to the elevator. I jabbed at the down button and rushed out of the lobby. I sprinted round the corner and towards the park as fear flooded my body. The voice echoing through my head. The voice that I'd know anywhere. _Tadase._ I got to the park, but there was no sign of Amu or of the kiddie king. I slammed my fists into a nearby tree, and felt the tears roll down my cheeks. _I'm losing her all over again!_

I didn't know what to do. They could've been anywhere. I turned round and leant my back against the tree and sunk down to the floor, my shoulders heaving, as I cried. Yes I, Tsukiyomi Ikuto, was crying.

I heard footsteps thundering towards me and looked up to see Sanjou, Nikaidou and all of Amu's friends rushing towards me. There was one person missing though. Utau.

"Ikuto! What happened? Why are you cryi-" The purple headed guy was cut off by Kukai.

"Yo, Tsukiyomi, have you seen Utau?!"

"No, but I've got bigger problems right now."

"Neko-chan, what happe-" started Yaya.

"What? So you don't give a damn that your own sister hasn't been seen since yesterday?!" my head shot up.

"What?!"

"She never came home yesterday, and no one's seen her since she left the recording studio yesterday." I got up and started walking towards the park entrance.

"Hey! Tsukiyomi! Where the hell are you going?!" I turned to see Kukai and the others following me.

"I'm going to find them, and kill that scumbag." I growled.

Nagihiko narrowed his eyes at me and cocked his head to the side.

"What?"

"I was just wondering what you're talking about."

"What do you mean Nagi-chan?"

"Well," he directed his words at me "when Kukai asked where you were going, you said you were going to find _them_. I was wondering who you're talking about." everyone was looking from me to Nagihiko, waiting for someone to talk.

"He took her."

"Huh?"

"Tadase."

"What? What happened?"

"She was out for a walk this morning, and I called her. We were in the middle of a conversation and she got grabbed. Then...he picked up the phone and started taunting me. He...he took Amu." Everyone was staring at me wide eyed.

"Do you think he took Utau too?" asked Kairi.

"Definitely. It's not just coincidence that she goes missing the day before Amu gets kidnapped."

"But what are we going to do? How are we supposed to find them?" Yaya asked, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Did Tadase give you any clue as to where he was taking her, Ikuto-san?" asked Nikaidou. I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by my phone ringing. I looked at the screen, but it was a private number._ Maybe it's Tadase_. I flipped I open and put it on speaker. Everyone gathered round the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Tsukiyomi Ikuto. Loose something?"_

"Tadase, you sick excuse of a man, let them go!"

"_All in due time. I am surprised you worked out it was me that took Utau as well though."_

"Hotori! Let them go!"

"_Ah, Souma-kun, you're there to. I'm afraid I can't. You see, everything I ever wanted was always taken away from me by Tsukiyomi. He ruined my life. And now, I'm going to ruin his."_

"Tada-chan! Tell us where they are! They never did anything to you! And neither did Neko-chan!"

"I'll give you a chance to get them back Tsukiyomi. You'll find us at the harbour. Though I would hurry. Who knows what might happen to them." He hung up, and we all stared at the phone in horror. I came to my senses and sprinted out of the park, with the others right behind me.

.x-X-x.

**Normal POV**

After ten minutes of frantic running, the gang found themselves at the harbour. They made their way cautiously through the maze of metal storage crates, searching for some sign of the two girls. Voice came from ahead of them and they dashed round the corner of one of the crates and came face to face with about 30 guys in black suits. Nikaidou, Kairi and Nagihiko instantly stepped in front of the girls protectively, while Ikuto and Kukai braced themselves for a fight. They were about to pounce when one of the men spoke up.

"I suggest you come quietly, if you don't want anything to happen to your little girlfriends." The two boys froze instantly and the men took their chance to grab the arms of each of the group, pulling them further into the maze.

They rounded a corner and gasped at the sight before their eyes. There, just ten feet in front of them was a smirking Tadase. A gun in one hand, holding up a barely conscious, bruised and battered Utau with his other arm. Upon seeing her friends, the pop star's eyes widened, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Ikuto and Kukai filled with rage as they stared at the broken girl in front of them. The brunette instantly dove forwards, intent on causing his ex-friend as much pain as possible, only to be pulled back by three of the guards. While he struggled against them, shouting profanities and death threats at Tadase, Ikuto stood frozen, staring into lavender eyes. He had never seen those eyes look so dull and lifeless. They had always been full of sparkle. No matter how hard life got, how much she was hurting, she would always have a spark of determination and radiance in her eyes. But staring at the girl in front of him, her eyes were full of pain and despair, as if she were waiting to die.

Little did he know, Utau was waiting for that exactly. She knew what was coming. Her life depended on Ikuto's decision, and she already knew the outcome. It was the same outcome that she always got. She knew she was going to die. She was terrified. But at the same time, she felt relief, knowing her brother would be able to live his life in happiness. Yet, even though she knew this, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She couldn't stop the selfish longing within her. She didn't want to die. She hadn't lived her life yet. There were so many things she wanted to do, so many places she wanted to see, but that was never going to happen.

Her eyes travelled to her husband. Kukai. This was probably the last time she'd see him. She felt a pang in her heart knowing that he would live his life without her. She knew it would break him. the amount of times he'd told her he loved her, she just wished she'd spent more time with him, showed him how much she really loved him. She had so many dreams of starting a family with him. Dreams of growing old together. But she knew it was impossible. Her dreams would be lived out by another. She would never again feel his touch, never taste his kisses, or hear him whisper words of love in her ear. She would never again see the goofy grin that was almost always slapped across his face, or hear his carefree laugh, that was music to her ears. No, the last thing she would see was his tear stained face, full of grief and pain. How did she know this? Because that's exactly what she was looking at.

As the others stared at the pair in front of them, transfixed, Rima found her eyes darting around. There was something bugging her. They had found Utau, but where was Amu? Her eyes scanned the crates surrounding them, searching for a hint of pink; they travelled to the water, towards the crane that stood at the water's edge. As they moved upwards, she let out a horrified scream at what she saw. Her friends turned towards her as she stared at the sight before her. They followed her gaze and gasps and screams escaped their lips. She glanced at Ikuto, who was staring up, eyes full of fire, as rage built up within him. She also glanced at Utau, and was surprised to see her smiling softly, a hint of bitterness shining in her amethyst eyes.

Ikuto stared up at the scene in front of him full of rage and anger. There, dangling from the crane, high above the water, was Amu. She was just as badly beaten as Utau, if not worse. Blood stained her hair red as she hung limply in the ropes that held her. It was difficult to tell if she was dead or just unconscious.

A small cough was heard, and all eyes snapped back to Tadase.

"Now that I've got your attention, why don't we get down to business?" he asked, his voice dripping with fake cheeriness as he smiled sadistically. Ikuto let out a low growl, and had to stop himself from pouncing on the vermin in front of him. He knew that if he did, his sister would be dead in a flash. He eyed the gun pointed at her head and desperately tried to think of a way to free her from his grasp.

"Let them go Tada-chan! How can you do this? We all use to be such good friends! What happened to you?" tears streamed down the brunette's face as she tried to plead with her the person she used to look at with so much respect and admiration.

"Yes Yuiki-san, we _used_ to be friends. But not anymore. And do you know who you've got to blame for that? The blue haired cat thief stood beside you. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for Tsukiyomi Ikuto. If he had just stayed away from Hinamori-san, she would have been mine. She would have been so much happier with me. I could give her much more than he ever could." His voice built up gradually, his eyes full of jealousy and rage. But his words hit a chord in a certain blonde, and she glared at him with every ounce of hatred she had.

"You pathetic little man!" every person there flinched at the harshness of her voice, as she screeched at him. Her fiancée stared at her in shock. She had never shouted at someone like that, no matter how angry she got, she always remained somewhat collected. But as all her emotions bubbled over, she lost control completely. Her voice full of rage and grief, her face twisted with the pain that filled her heart, as tears spilled from her eyes. "You keep talking about how Ikuto ruined your life, how he took away everything you cared about, all you care about is your own happiness! She was happy with him! She LOVED him! And you go and take her away from him! How can you say that she would be better with you?! After all the shit you put her through, all the pain you've caused her, you still delude yourself into thinking that you deserve her! But the only thing you deserve is to die! You're a sick twisted excuse of a man, who hurts everyone around him just to fulfil your own selfish needs! You have no right to claim her as your own! You've done nothing but hurt her! You say that Ikuto can't give her what she wants, but all she wants is to be happy, to feel loved, and that's exactly what he gave her! you kept her locked up for four years of her life, abusing her, forced her to watch as you killed her parents and now you have the nerve to say you love her?! You've ruined her life! I wish we'd never had the misfortune of meeting you! Life would have been so much better! Just....just GO DIE!" her breathing became ragged as she collapsed to the floor, letting out all the pain and grief in her heart. Her purple-haired fiancée pulled himself free of the guards' grip to console her.

Everyone stared at her in awe as she curled into Nagi's embrace. No one had ever seen her show so much emotion. She had never been one to voice her opinions openly. The only person she ever spilled all of her feelings to was Amu. Her words only showed how strong the bond between the two really was.

Tadase watched the crying girl, his eyes filled with rage and hatred. How dare she say he didn't deserve Hinamori. How could she not see that he only did those things to show her that he was the only one she needed. To snap her out of whatever trance Tsukiyomi put her in. It was obvious Tsukiyomi did something to her. There was no way she would fall in love with a thieving cat like him, of her own accord. She didn't really love him, he had brainwashed her, and she needed to be saved. And that's exactly what he tried to do. He was trying to show her how much pain the black cat of misfortune brought upon her, but it didn't work. Instead, she turned against her saviour and ran back to the thieving cat.

"You know nothing Masahiro-san. I did what I did because I love her. And for that same reason," he turned to Ikuto. "I'm giving you a choice." Utau smiled bitterly and braced herself. "As you can see, both your sister and the 'love of your life' are in life threatening situations. If you really love Hinamori then you'll make the right choice, and I'll leave you to live your lives together."

Ikuto's eyes narrowed as he stared at Tadase suspiciously. "What am I supposed to be choosing from?"  
Tadase's face twisted into a sadistic gin once again.

"Simple, I want you to choose between your sister over here, and Hinamori-san. But choose carefully, because whichever one you choose, the other will be killed. And if you don't choose, I'll kill them both."

All eyes widened and Ikuto's breathing hitched. He was being asked to choose between his sister and his love. He looked up at the strawberry headed girl dangling above the water, and then at his sister, gun pointed at her head. Their eyes met and he felt horror wash over him as he saw the emotions running through hers. She had been expecting this. She knew he was going to have to choose. And she also seemed to know who he was going to pick. But what scared him most was that she was willing to die. She was waiting for the shot to be fired. She was trying to tell him that she was okay, that she was happy to die for him. In that moment he knew what he had to do. He knew the answer.

"So, have you made your choice?"

He nodded slowly, never breaking eye contact with his sister. "Good. Now tell me, which do you choose?" he held the blonde's gaze and prepared to utter the word that would decide her fate. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the shot.

"Utau."


	14. Chapter 14

**hey guys, i know this chappie's not as long as the last, but i think the last one was the longest i've written. it was over 4000 words, and my average is usually around 2000.**

**i know some of the things in this chappie may be a bit confusing, but i'll clear it all up in later chappies**

**anyhoo, enjoy :)**

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"_So, have you made your choice?" _

_He nodded slowly, never breaking eye contact with his sister. "Good. Now tell me, which do you choose?" he held the blonde's gaze and prepared to utter the word that would decide her fate. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the shot._

"_Utau."_

A pair of violet eyes shot open, as the blonde stared at her brother in disbelief, along with everyone else. Tadase couldn't believe his ears. He had been expecting him to choose Amu, everyone was.

Utau scanned her brother's eyes, searching for some clue as to what he was thinking, but found them blank and emotionless. She tried to figure out what he was scheming, there was no way he would give up Amu's life so easily, without having a plan.

"w-what did you s-say Tsukiyomi?" stuttered Tadase, trying to clarify what he heard. Ikuto let out a low growl.

"I said, I choose Utau. Now let her go." The blonde man nodded shakily before releasing his hostage, slowly regaining his posture. Utau staggered forwards and collapsed into her brother's arms. She stared up at him as he stared unwaveringly into the ruby eyes ahead of him.

"w-why?" her voice came out small and raspy. He tore his eyes away from Tadase, his eyes softening as he looked down at her. He gave her a small, reassuring smile, telling her he knew what he was doing, though the gesture went by unnoticed by anyone else. He lifted her gently and passed her into the awaiting arms of her husband. The brunette smiled gently down at her and pulled her closer, the look in her eyes telling her that she was safe from harm. She laid her head on his chest, fighting to keep her consciousness. She needed to know what was going to happen; she needed to know that her friend was safe.

Ikuto glared at Tadase, waiting to find out what he was planning to do. He had a good idea of what he was planning, though he had to be sure. He heard sirens blare in the distance and smirked inwardly, Kairi had done his job, Tadase was running out of time. He glared at the kiddie king, who seemed oblivious to the sirens, growing louder as they approached. He stared into the eyes of the man he had once called 'onii-tan', a smirk forming on his lips.

"I warned you Tsukiyomi." he slipped the gun into the holster attached to his belt and pulled out a small remote. All eyes were on the device in his hand. The sirens blared louder. So close. Ikuto needed to stall. He opened his mouth, but was cut off by a sadistic voice.

"Say goodbye to your little Amu-chan." All eyes widened as he brought his finger to one of the buttons. He pressed it lightly, and the ropes holding the unconscious girl snapped. Screams of terror echoed through the harbour as she plummeted towards the icy water. None of the guards had time to react as the blue-haired man yanked himself free of their grasp and sprinted forwards, hitting the water the same time as the pinkette.

Police cars screeched to a halt as they rounded the corner, scattering the guards and Hotori, as an ambulance pulled up just behind. Police swarmed the area, chasing down the fleeing men, or rushing to the water's edge, looking for some sign of the submerged pair, while paramedics rushed to the group, trying to help the pop star as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Ikuto felt the water hit him, piercing his skin like knives. He ignored the pain, and pushed forwards, searching for the unconscious pinkette. His eyes darted through the murky water, desperately trying to find some hint of the girl. He turned, noticing a flash of pink in the corner of his eye, only to find the small girl drifting slowly downwards. His eyes widened as he dived down and clasped an arm round her waist, pulling her to him, as his lungs burned, screaming for much needed oxygen. He kicked hard, propelling the pair up towards the surface. He could see the water become clearer as he moved higher, before finally breaking through the surface, gasping as he tried to force some oxygen in his lungs.

The pinkette was still firmly in his grasp, her head lolling onto his shoulder as he tried to make his way to the water's edge. Two huge splashes were heard as Nagi and Nikaidou dived in, pulling the pair to safety.

The pinkette was hauled out of the freezing water, and paramedics instantly swarmed her lifeless body, trying to get her breathing again, while the men clambered out after, worry evident in their faces as they looked on.

Minutes passed, but, still, no response came from the frail, beaten girl. Tears fell freely as the realisation started to sink in. She was gone.

Ikuto stared at the girl before him, heart breaking, as he silently pleaded with her. He couldn't lose her. Not after everything they'd been through. He couldn't let Tadase ruin everything. She had to live. She just _had _to.

Hope flooded into his body as a small spluttering erupted. The pinkette managed to roll onto her side, coughing and spluttering as she tried to force the water out of her lungs. He was instantly at her side, pulling her up to sit as she rested her head against his chest, still coughing slightly as an oxygen mask was brought to her mouth.

She started panicking, not knowing where she was, or what was going on as blurry shapes continued to move around her. The buzz of different conversations and noises entered her ears, adding to the confusion. What was going on? One word caught her attention through the murmurs, and instantly sent her into a frenzy, as she tried desperately to escape the arms that held her. That word? Hotori.

"Amu, it's alright...I've got you. You're safe now." His deep soothing voice called out to her, calming her. She recognised it instantly and knew she was safe. She blinked a few times as the shapes around her seemed to sharpen and come into view. She found herself staring up into sapphire eyes, as paramedics swarmed around her.

"I-Iku-to" her voice came out raspy and her throat burned from the water she'd swallowed. He pulled her closer to his freezing body, and it was only then that her other senses came alive. The pain hit her like a truck as she refrained from screaming out in agony. Tears pooled up in her eyes as she tried to refrain from moving too much. She also came to realise she was soaked, as was Ikuto. His lips had already turned blue, and she could only guess that hers looked the same, as they sat there shivering, which didn't help with the pain.

A man came over and started to talk to Ikuto, and she could only assume it was a paramedic. She vaguely heard their murmurs as she leant against Ikuto's chest, not really paying attention. She listened to the slow rumble of Ikuto's voice as it vibrated through his chest, lulling her into unconsciousness like a sweet lullaby.

Ikuto stared down at the girl in his arms as he lifted her gently, trying not to disturb her too much. He carried her to the ambulance, where the others were waiting, worried looks plastered across their faces. He placed her down on the bed next to Utau and watched as the paramedics rushed forwards, hooking her up to a drip and an IV machine before wrapping a thick blanket around her shivering body. He sat down beside her and grasped her tiny hand in his. He looked up as a thick blanket was draped over his shoulders. He looked out of the ambulance and saw the others staring back at him with grave faces. Nagi and Nikaidou were wrapped in blankets as well, as they tried to get some heat back into their bodies. Kukai sat opposite me, grasping Utau's hand in his own. While Rima sat next to him, staring at her two friends in silence, tears streaming down her face.

It was Yukairi who finally broke the silence as the medics got ready to depart.

"You guys look after yourselves. We're going to get a ride in the police cars, so we'll meet you at the hospital." Ikuto nodded stiffly, before the doors slammed shut and the vehicle pulled away, while Kukai stared at his battered wife, his face blank, but his eyes a portrait of hurt, rage and worry.


	15. Chapter 15

**hey guys, next chappie! wooo! hopefully this will clear up any questions you guys have. though if there's anyhting i forgot to resolve feel free to tell me and i'll make sure to sort it in the next few chapters. **

**enjoy ^^**

* * *

9 people sat in one of the hospital rooms, waiting for news of their friends. When they had reached the hospital, Utau and Amu had been rushed straight into surgery. Ikuto Nagi and Nikaidou were taken to get changed, and given dry blankets to warm up with; Ikuto had been given a room, so they could monitor his condition, since he had been in the water so long. Kukai, meanwhile, had been taken to take care of the scratches and bruises that had resulted from struggling against the guards. Seiyo middle school had been called upon their arrival, and Ami had arrived a short while after. The whole day had gone through in a blur and they still had no word of their friends.

It was now 11pm and the gang sat in silence. Ikuto was spread out on the bed, with a sleeping Ami curled up next to him, her head resting on his chest. Tear tracks could easily be seen on the brunettes cheeks as she slept. The others were seated around the bed, on the plastic chairs provided, or on the sofa across the room. No one spoke. There was nothing to say. They had been through everything already.

The door opened and everyone turned to look as the doctor entered, his face impassive.

"Are they alright? Can we see them?" as Ikuto asked as he rose to sit, his legs dangling over the side, and laid Ami down against the pillow.

"Souma-san is going to be fine; there is no lasting damage, though she will be in the hospital for a few weeks. She's awake, and you can go see her if you wish." He replied, looking slightly solemn.

"What about Amu? Is she okay?" the doctor paused, looking at Ikuto's anxious face. "Please tell me she isn't...."

"No, no! She's not dead. Definitely not. But I'm afraid her condition is quite serious. Because her body has been damaged so badly, every time she moves she is put in terrible pain. So, until she heals enough to move without putting a strain on her body, we have to sedate her." everyone stared at him in silence.

"h-how long will it be before s-she is allowed to wake up?" Rima's small voice was filled with alarm for her friend.

"We're not sure, though I suspect it will be about a week before she is taken off sedatives. "

"Can we go see them now?"

"Ah, yes. We've placed them in the same room, as I thought you might want to be with both; though they can be moved if you're not happy with the arrangements."

"It's fine, thank you."

"Alright. Well its room 317, so go right ahead."

Ikuto picked up the sleeping girl and followed Kukai towards the room they had been told, the others trailing behind. They came to a halt outside the room, and Kukai placed a shaky hand on the handle, pausing, before pushing it open. They stepped in and Kukai was at his wife's side at once, pulling her into a tight embrace, while Ikuto placed Ami down on the sofa. The others filed in afterwards, taking a seat on the chairs placed out for them.

"...k-Kukai....can't....breath!" Utau managed to choke out as she struggled to free herself from her husband's death grip. He let go instantly and rubbed the back of his head, while grinning sheepishly.

"s-sorry..." she gave him a small smile as Ikuto walked over. The blonde turned to look at her brother, meeting his eyes as he stopped beside her.

"Thank you..." she managed to whisper. She owed him her life. She knew that if it weren't for him, she be dead. If he'd chosen her pink haired friend, she would have been killed instantly. But he didn't. He chose her. Saved her. And for that, she was truly grateful. He gave a small smile as he pulled her into a soft embrace. He kissed her forehead lightly, and rubbed her back as she cried silently into his shirt.

She finally broke away, drying her eyes and smiled up at her brother. He gave a small smile back and ruffled her hair slightly.

"Mou, Ikuto! It took me ages to sort my hair out!" she whined, swatting her brother's hand away. He smirked slightly, as the others smiled, obviously amused. Kukai slid onto the bed behind her and grabbed her lightly by the wrists, bringing them down, away from her hair.

"It's fine, you look great." His whisper sent shivers down her spine.

"No I don't," she let out a sigh and gestured her heavily bandaged body. "I'm a complete mess." He pulled her closer, wrapping her in a warm embrace.

"I think you look beautiful." She couldn't help but give a soft smile as she snuggled into her husband's warmth.

Ikuto watched the two, a small smile present on his features. He was glad his sister had found someone to love her, and give her what she needs. Yet he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he watched the pair. Watching them curl up in each other's arms, making promises of love and protection, knowing that he was unable to protect the one he loved. In the whole time that he had been in the room, he had refused to look at her. He was scared to look at the unconscious girl behind him, knowing that he had been unable to protect her.

Utau turned to look at her brother, concern evident in her eyes. She knew how hard it was for him, knowing that the girl he loved came so close to death. It terrified him; knowing that he nearly lost her, he couldn't even bring himself to look at her.

"Ikuto...you can't just keep acting like she's not there...Amu needs you. Now more than ever." He lowered his head, so that his bangs covered his eyes, his shaking hands balled into fists. He knew she was right, he knew that Amu needed him. But he was acting like a coward.

"Ikuto..." the 27 year old closed his eyes before turning round. He reopened them, and his gaze fell upon the ground. He inched closer to the bed, his eyes rising to meet her battered form. He forced back tears as he stared at the tubes and wires hooked up to her. Her frail body was wrapped in thick white bandages, bruises easily distinguishable on her face. A long cut ran across her left cheek, dry blood still clinging to her skin.

He reached forward and gently slid his hand into hers, his other hand softly caressing her cheek. The others looked on solemnly as he brought his lips down onto her forehead, brushing them softly against her skin, before whispering mumbled apologies over and over again. He brought a chair forwards, sitting down at her bedside, his hand never leaving hers.

"ne, Ikuto..." he turned to look at his sister, who was, in turn, staring at her hands, a slightly apprehensive look on her face. "I...I know you probably don't want to talk about it....but....there's something that's been bothering me..." she took his silence as an indication to go on. She took a deep breath and looked up, her amethyst eyes meeting with his sapphire. "Why....why did you choose me? Why not Amu?" he stared into her eyes for a few seconds, his expression unreadable.

"I'd have thought that would be obvious." He was met with eight confused faces. "I guess not...Utau, I chose you because you were in the most imminent danger." The blonde's eyebrows instantly furrowed in confusion.

"But that's not true. I mean, look at her. She almost died for god's sake!"

"Exactly, Utau. _Almost._ If I'd picked Amu, Tadase would have shot you there and then. But I knew that if I chose you, I still had a chance to save her."

"But still! That's a huge risk to take. I just....I just don't get why you would risk her life to save me....I mean....ever since we were kids....you would always choose her over me....yet you risked her safety for mine..." his cerulean blue eyes softened slightly.

"Utau...when we were kids....that was different....you're my sister, Utau, and you mean just as much to me as Amu does...I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you die when there's a chance to save you both..." a heavy silence followed Ikuto's words. No one knew what to say or do. Yaya, feeling the tense atmosphere, started freaking.

"WHAAAAH!!!!! TOO SERIOUS!!!!!!" she yelled, before stopping herself as a sombre expression donned her face. "...I still can't believe Tada-chan was the one who caused all of this..." she sniffed as she tried to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

"Well at least we know he can't hurt anyone anymore. With any hope, he'll be locked behind bars until his death day." Spat Utau. The others exchanged anxious glances, trying to decide who would be the one to deliver the troubling news. In the end, it was Sanjou that stepped forwards.

"Actually Utau....there's something you should know..." the pop star looked at her manager, curiosity etched onto her features. "...Hotori-san....Hotori-san got away...."

"WHAT?! What do you mean he got away?! How could they let him escape?! What if he comes here and tries to finish the job?! Or targets one of you guys?!"

"Utau, calm down."

"But Ikuto—"

"Utau! There's no way he can get anywhere near any of us. The police are watching all the entrances to the hospital, as well as all of our houses, in case he tries coming after anyone. They're out searching for him as we speak. And dads got men keeping an eye on us, so there's next to no chance that he'll get anywhere near us."

"Even so," cut in Nagi, "the guys have been talking and we've decided we don't want you girls going anywhere without us with you. It's too dangerous."

"Are you trying to say we are unable to look after ourselves?!" exclaimed Sanjou indignantly.

"Sanjou, we know all of you are more than capable of taking care of yourselves, but in case you hadn't noticed, so is Utau, and look what happened to her." Sanjou looked to her client, and friend, meeting her lavender eyes.

"They're right Sanjou. These guys are dangerous, they're much stronger than the goons we used to have to face." The blonde unconsciously moved closer to her husband, who, in turn, tightened his grip on her waist. There was a small pause, before Utau, once again, broke the silence.

"Ne, Ikuto, you said something about dad sending men to watch us right? Does that mean he knows?"

"Yeah, I called him a few hours ago. The hospital's keeping him up to date. He and mum are coming tomorrow morning."

"Okay....do you think Amu's gonna be alright?"

"She'll be fine." Kairi finally spoke up. "If there's one thing I've learned about Amu in the time that I've known her, it's that she's a fighter."

"Amu isn't the kind to give up easily." Piped in Rima.

"Yeah, she's too damn stubborn." Commented Ikuto, earning a few chuckles from the group.

"Amu-chan will be fine. We just have to believe in her." Nagi concluded, a small smile playing on his lips, as his eyes shone with newfound hope and determination.


	16. Chapter 16

hey guys! i know i haven't updated in absolutely ages, and i know i promised i would, but i have my reasons. and if you want to know some of those reasons, i left a post on my profile. i'm really, realy, _really _sorry!

but, here's the next chappie! enjoy!

* * *

"Ne, Ikuto, you should go home for a while. You've been sat there for 5 days straight, you need to rest." Utau sat trying to reason with her brother, who was currently sat at Amu's bedside. He had been there since they had been allowed in, only leaving her side to go to the toilet. He was lying with his head rested on his arms, staring up at her sleeping face.

"I'm fine Utau. And I'm not going anywhere. There's no way in hell I'm leaving her." she let out a defeated sigh, knowing this was one fight she was never going to win. She turned and glanced at the clock. It had been about twenty minutes since Kukai left to pick up some stuff from home, and the silence was killing her.

"Ne, Ikuto, have the doctors said anything about when they think she'll wake up?" there was a brief pause before he sighed and turned to face her.

"They took her off the sedatives this morning, because apparently she's healed quicker than they expected. They said that she should hopefully wake up within the next twenty-four hours."

"They took her off?? No wonder you've been staring at her like she's gonna disappear any second." He merely hummed in response and went back to watching the unconscious pinkette, silently willing her to wake up.

The door creaked open and the blonde snapped her head towards it.

"That was qui-" she froze upon seeing the figure framed in the doorway. Ikuto turned to find the reason for his sister's sudden lack of speech. His eyes widened.

"You! What the hell are you doing here?! How did you get in?!" he snarled, standing protectively in front of Amu. Utau cowered back in fear, whimpering, as the figure sneered.

"It was quite easy actually; those cops aren't as smart as you'd think. As for why I'm here, that's simple. I'm going to finish the job. You know what they say, third times lucky." Mocked Tadase, a malicious grin spread across his face.

That was all it took. Ikuto lunged forward, pinning the blonde against the wall.

"You're not getting anywhere near them." He growled.

"Oh? And how are you planning to stop me when you're lying on the floor dying?"

"wha-?" his question was cut short as a needle slammed into his arm, the contents pouring into his blood stream. His eyes went wide as his grip loosened. He dropped Tadase and brought his hand to his arm, ripping the needle from it. The needle clattered to the floor as Ikuto took two uneasy steps back, before his eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor with a crash.

"IKUTO!" the pinkette's scream echoed through the room as she watched him crash to the floor. Tears spilled from her eyes, dripping onto the sheets. Wasn't that a nice scene to wake up to?

"Well that sucks. I was planning to kill you two, but it looks like pop star gets off." Both girls watched in horror as he sauntered towards Amu, who was unable to move or resist. He stopped once he reached her side. "Such a pity. We could have been good together."

"H-how about i-i m-make you a d-deal?" she ask, trying desperately to stall, in the hopes that someone would come to their aid.

As if her prayers had been answered, Kukai Souma appeared in the doorway. His eyes scanned over the scene, instantly processing the danger. He made eyes contact with the pinkette and pressed his finger to his lips. She flicked her eyes back to Tadase as the brunette crept forwards silently.

"Oh? What kind of deal?" he asked, intrigued.

"L-leave my f-friends a-alone, and I-I'll be with y-you." he smirked malevolently.

"As much as i would _love _to take you up on that, it's too late. I'm a wanted man. So, since i can't have you, I'm going to make sure no one can." Her eyes widened as he grabbed her arm roughly, ripping away the gauze and positioning the needle at her wrist.

"Goodbye dear Amu-_cha-"_ he was cut short as a chair slammed into the back of his head, sending him flying forwards. He toppled onto the bed, unconscious, letting the needle fall to the floor. Amu struggled underneath his weight, feeling some of her wounds reopen.

His body was lifted off of her and thrown unceremoniously onto the floor. Utau was instantly at her side, ignoring her body's screams of protest.

"Amu, are you okay?" she pulled her into a gentle hug, as whimpers and sobs racked the pinkette's body.

"Ikuto..."

"Oi! We need some help in here!" Kukai was kneeled next to the motionless Ikuto, trying desperately to wake him.

Several doctors and nurses rushed into the room, freezing at the sight before them.

"What the hell are you doing?! Help them!" they were snapped out of their reverie, and instantly rushed forwards. Ikuto was lifted onto Utau's now vacant bed and hooked up to all sorts of machines.

Amu sat sobbing on her bed, watching the scene, with Kukai and Utau sat either side of her. They both had their arms wrapped around her, trying to console her.

Tadase was dragged out of the room as police flooded in. One of the officers and doctors approached the trio.

"I know this must be hard, but we need to know what happened. Otherwise we may not be able to help him."

"h-Hotori...he i-injected my brother w-with s-something...and th-then tried t-to get a-Amu as well...b-but my h-husband m-managed to s-stop him be-before he c-could." Choked out Utau.

"Do you know what it was he was injected with? Did Hotori say at all?" she shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"I don't know if it'll help, but he dropped the one he was going to inject Hinamori with. I think it landed next to the bed." he pointed to the syringe that had rolled towards the end of the bed. The doctor's eyes widened as he hurried forwards and picked it up and placed it in a plastic bag. He gave it to one of the nurses and told her to take it down to the labs.

.x-X-x.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Amu lay listening to the rhythmic beeping of her own heart monitor as she stared at the ceiling of the empty room. Ikuto had been moved to another room, so that they could take care of him better. Utau and Kukai had offered to stay with her but she refused, wanting some time alone, to think. So Utau had been taken to yet another room to be taken care of.

The doctors had been in about half an hour ago to tell her that Ikuto was going to be okay. Apparently, the liquid he'd been injected with had been an extremely rare poison. If they didn't have a sample, they may not have found an antidote in time.

She wanted to be with him, but they told her she needed to rest. Apparently, it would cause too much stress for her, and she should just focus on getting better. They said he should wake up in a few hours, though he will probably be groggy, and have a bad headache. Well, it could have been a lot worse.

She rolled onto her side, letting a stray tear fall. She couldn't help but blame herself for all of this. If it wasn't for her, Utau wouldn't be hurt. If she wasn't so stupid, Ikuto would never have been in that condition. The people she cared about were hurt, all because she was too stupid to listen to Ikuto. Because she just _had _to go for a walk alone, even though she knew Tadase was still on the loose. She hated herself for putting others in danger because of her own foolishness. She didn't deserve them. Any of them.


	17. Chapter 17

_Hi guys, so...you're probably epically annoyed at me right now, and I have no excuse for not updating. All I can say is I'm so sorry. I've had a rough couple of years but things are better now and I shall be updating regularly from now on, I am determined to finish my stories, this is just a short chapter but I'll update again soon. I am currently writing the next chapter of ghost girl and it will be uploaded soon. So once again, I'm sorry, but I'm back with a vengance!_

_-x-Amu.x-X-x_

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"Let me go! I have to see her!" yelled a blue-haired man, struggling against the arms that kept him from seeing his girlfriend.

"I'm afraid we can't do that, Tsukiyomi-san. Hinamori-san specifically requested that no one be allowed in to see her."

"I don't care!" he screamed, finally breaking through their restraints and barging through the door. The surrounding doctors sighed in defeat, knowing there was no way they were going to keep him away.

The door swung shut behind him, shutting out the hustle and bustle of the rest of the hospital.

Ikuto stared at the sleeping girl, his face softening at the sight of her. He crept forwards and placed his hand on her cheek, caressing it softly. A frown appeared on his handsome features when he noticed the tear tracks still visible on her rosy cheeks. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead gently.

"Gomennasai..." he whispered softly into her hair. His hand brushed across her cheeks, wiping away stray tears that fell, before running down her arm and grasping her own hand.

"I-Ikuto..." she let out a small whimper and he squeezed her hand lightly.

"It's alright Amu, I'm here." He climbed onto the bed next to her and wound his arms around her frail body, careful not to disturb her wounds. "I'm right here."

**Ikuto's POV**

Her body seemed to relax as she snuggled into me. I sighed, laying my cheek on her head, and thought back over the day's events. I knew it must have hurt her, judging by the way she screamed when I collapsed. That was the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness. I wanted nothing more than to hold her, comfort her, and tell her it was gonna be alright. I wanted to protect her. But I couldn't. I was lucky Kukai turned up when he did, if not, I didn't even want to think about what would've happened. I owed Kukai big time.

**Normal POV**

Ikuto lay next to Amu for four hours, his arms wrapped securely around her, protecting her from the world, comforting her as she whimpered and cried in her sleep, waiting for her to wake up so he could finally see the golden pools of honey that he had been denied for so long.

Finally, his patience was rewarded. The petite girl curled up next to him shifted restlessly, as though trying to wrench herself from her deep slumber. He watched her struggle with baited breath, and let out a small inaudible sigh when her thick lashes fluttered open, revealing two tantalizing pools of molten gold. Ikuto couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face at the sight of her staring up at him drowsily. There was a brief silence, before Ikuto spoke up, eager to hear her voice.

"hey." She blinked hazily up at him.

"hey..." her voice was barely a whisper, and he had to strain his ears to catch it, but it was enough. It was silent for a few moments until Amu spoke up again, her voice laced with sleep. "Am I dreaming?"

Ikuto let out a short chuckle and buried his face in her hair, frowning slightly at the absence of the familiar strawberry scent that usually invaded his senses. He pressed a feather-light kiss to her head and mumbled into her hair.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" He pulled away enough to glance down at her, a smile tugging at his lips at her bemused expression. The only thing he could think about was how adorable she looked at that moment.

"So...I'm not dreaming?" the small smile turned to a full blown grin, as he chortled once more. Ikuto let his hands wander towards her face, his fingers gently tracing over her cheeks, her nose, her eyes, her lips; memorising every last detail about her, from the high curve of her eyebrows to the natural pout of her soft lips. His fingers caressed the skin softly, ghosting over the cuts and bruises, almost as though scared she would break at any second. He allowed his index finger to trail down her cheekbone and brush across her lips once more. his hands moved to cup her cheeks and he bent down to press his lips lightly to hers, placing small butterfly kisses on her lips before dragging his lips along her jawline, toward her ear. He nipped at her earlobe tenderly and whispered huskily in her ear.

"No...You're not dreaming."


End file.
